Plant with altered content of steroidal alkaloids

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to key genes in the biosynthesis of steroidal alkaloids and saponins, including regulatory genes and enzyme-encoding genes, and to use thereof for altering the content of steroidal (glyco)alkaloids or phytosterols in plants. The present invention provides genetically modified plants or gene edited plants with altered content of steroidal (glyco)alkaloids, particularly to Solanaceous crop plants with reduced content of antinutritional steroidal glycoalkaloids and to the increase in phytosterols, including cholesterol or cholestanol in these plants. The present invention also provides methods of altering gene expression.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/895,059 filed Dec. 1, 2015, which filed as a National Phase Application of PCT International Application Number PCT/IL2014/050497, International filing date Jun. 2, 2014, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/831,164 filed Jun. 5, 2013; which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to key genes in the biosynthesis of steroidal alkaloids and steroidal saponins and to genetically modified or gene edited plants with altered content of steroidal alkaloids, steroidal saponins, or phytosterols, particularly to Solanaceous crop plants with reduced content of antinutritional steroidal glycoalkaloids or increased content of phytosterols, including cholesterol, cholestanol, and any of their modified glycosylated derivatives.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The plant kingdom produces hundreds of thousands of different small compounds that are often genus or family specific. These molecules, referred to as secondary metabolites, are not vital to cells that produce them, but contribute to the overall fitness of the organisms. Alkaloids are one example of secondary metabolites. They are low molecular weight nitrogen-containing organic compounds, typically with a heterocyclic structure. Alkaloid biosynthesis in plants is tightly controlled during development and in response to stress and pathogens.

The broad group of triterpenoid-alkaloid compounds is widespread in plants and derived from the cytosolic mevalonic acid isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway. Steroidal saponins and Steroidal alkaloids are two large classes of triterpenoids produced by plants. Steroidal alkaloids (SAs), occasionally known as “Solanum alkaloids,” are common constituents of numerous plants belonging to the Solanaceae family, which includes the genera Solanum and Capsicum, as well as many others. Steroidal alkaloids are also produced by a large number of species in the Liliaceae family.

Estimated in the order of 1350 species, Solanum is one of the largest genera of flowering plants, representing about a half of the species in the Solanaceae. Diverse structural composition and biological activity, as well as occurrence in food plants including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), potato (Solanum tuberosum) and eggplant (Solanum melongena), made SAs the subject of extensive investigations (Eich E. 2008. Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae—secondary metabolites: biosynthesis, chemotaxonomy, biological and economic significance: a handbook. Berlin: Springer).

Consisting of a C-27 cholestane skeleton and a heterocyclic nitrogen component, SAs were suggested to be synthesized in the cytosol from cholesterol. Conversion of cholesterol to the alkamine SA should require several hydroxylation, oxidation and transamination reactions (Eich 2008, supra), and in most cases further glycosylation to form steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) (Arnqvist L. et al. 2003. Plant Physiol 131:1792-1799). The oligosaccharide moiety components of SGAs directly conjugate to the hydroxyl group at C-3β of the alkamine steroidal skeleton (aglycone). The oligosaccharide moiety includes D-glucose, D-galactose, L-rhamnose, D-xylose, and L-arabinose, the first two monosaccharides being the predominant units.

Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are nitrogen-containing, cholesterol-derived specialized metabolites produced by numerous members of the Solanaceae family. Examples of these compounds include α-tomatine and dehydrotomatine in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), α-chaconine and α-solanine in potato (Solanum tuberosum), and α-solamargine and α-solasonine in eggplant (Solanum melongena). SGAs are also found in various types of peppers in the genus Capsicum. SGAs contribute to plant resistance to a wide range of pathogens and predators, including bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, viruses, insects, and larger animals. Some of them chaconine and α-solanine in potato) are considered as anti-nutritional compounds to humans due to their toxic effects. More than 100 SGAs have been identified in tomatoes (Itkin et al., 2011, Plant Cell 23:4507-4525), and more than 50 have been identified in potatoes (Shakya and Navarre, 2008, J. Agric. Food Chem. 56:6949-6958). Eggplant also contains at least one variety of SGA (Friedmann, 2006, J. Agric. Food Chem. 54:8655-8681).

SGA biosynthesis depends on genes encoding UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) that decorate the aglycone with various sugar moieties (McCue K F et al., 2005, Plant Sci. 168:267-273; Itkin M et al., 2011. Plant Cell 23:4507-4525). The tomato GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM 1 (GAME1) glycosyltransferase, a homolog of the potato SGT1 (McCue et al., 2005, supra), catalyzes galactosylation of the alkamine tomatidine (Itkin et al., 2011, supra). SGA biosynthesis depends both on SGA biosynthesis genes (e.g., GAME 4, GAME12) and on regulators of SGA biosynthesis (e.g., GAME9) (Itkin et al. 2013. Science 341: 175-179; Cardenas et al. 2016. Nat. Commun. 7: 10654).

Steroidal alkaloids play a role in protecting plants against a broad range of pathogens and are thus referred to as phytoanticipins (antimicrobial compounds). Many SGAs are harmful to a variety of organisms including mammals and humans. When present in edible plant parts, these harmful SGAs are referred to as antinutritional substances. The SGAs α-solanine and α-chaconine are the principle toxic substances in potato. These SGAs cause gastrointestinal and neurological disorders and, at high concentrations, may be lethal to humans. Mechanisms of toxicity include disruption of membranes and inhibition of acetylcholine esterase activity (Roddick J G. 1989. Phytochemistry 28:2631-2634). For this reason, total SGA levels exceeding 200 mg per kilogram fresh weight of edible tuber are deemed unsafe for human consumption.

There is an ongoing attempt to elucidate the biosynthesis pathway of steroidal alkaloids and to control their production. U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,180 discloses DNA sequences from potato which encode the enzyme solanidine UDP-glucose glucosyltransferase (SGT). Further disclosed are means and methods for inhibiting the production of SGT and thereby reduce glycoalkaloid levels in Solanaceous plants, for example potato.

Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,375,259 and 7,439,419 disclose nucleic acid sequences from potato that encode the enzymes UDP-glucose:solanidine glucosyltransferase (SGT2) and β-solanine/β-chaconine rhamnosyltransferase (SGT3), respectively. Recombinant DNA molecules containing the sequences, and use thereof, in particular, use of the sequences and antisense constructs to inhibit the production of SGT2/SGT3 and thereby reduce levels of the predominant steroidal glycoalkaloids α-chaconine and α-solanine in Solanaceous plants such as potato are also described.

The inventors of the present invention have recently identified three glycosyltransferases that are putatively involved in the metabolism of tomato steroidal alkaloids (GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM 1-3 (GAME1-3). More specifically, alterations in GAME1 expression modified the SA profile in tomato plants in both reproductive and vegetative parts. It is suggested that these genes are involved in the metabolism of tomatidine (the α-tomatine precursor) partially by generating the lycotetraose moiety (Itkin et al., 2011, supra).

International Patent Application Publication No. WO 00/66716 discloses a method for producing transgenic organisms or cells comprising DNA sequences which code for sterol glycosyl-transferases. The transgenic organisms include bacteria, fungi, plants and animals, which exhibit an increased production of steroid glycoside, steroid alkaloid and/or sterol glycoside compared to that of wild-type organisms or cells. The synthesized compounds are useful in the pharmaceutical and foodstuff industries as well as for protecting plants.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0159676 discloses a gene encoding a glycoalkaloid biosynthesis enzyme derived from a plant belonging to the family Solanaceae for example potato (Solanum tuberosum). A method for producing/detecting a novel organism using a gene encoding the protein is also disclosed.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0167271 and International Application Publication No. WO 2012/095843 relate to a key gene in the biosynthesis of steroidal saponins and steroidal alkaloids and to means and methods for altering the gene expression and the production of steroidal saponins and steroidal alkaloids.

A paper of the inventors of the present invention, published after the priority date of the present invention, describes an array of 10 genes that partake in SGA biosynthesis. 5-7 of the genes were found to exist as a cluster on chromosome 7 while additional two reside adjacent in a duplicated genomic region on chromosome twelve. Following systematic functional analysis, a novel SGA biosynthetic pathway starting from cholesterol up to the tetrasaccharide moiety linked to the tomato SGA aglycone has been proposed (Itkin M. et al., 2013 Science 341(6142): 175-179).

It has also been found that the plant cholesterol biosynthetic pathway overlaps with phytosterol metabolism (Sonawane et al. 2016. Nat. Plants 3: 16205). For example, cholesterol ((3β)-cholest-5-en-3-ol) is a sterol (or modified steroid), a type of lipid molecule, and is biosynthesized by all animal cells, because it is an essential structural component of all animal cell membranes and is essential to maintain both membrane structural integrity and fluidity. It is often found in animal cell membranes, enabling animal cells to function without a cell wall. It is a precursor for the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, bile acid and vitamin D.

Cholestanol is a cholesterol derivative found in feces, gallstones, eggs, and other biological matter. 5β-Coprostanol (5β-cholestan-3β-ol) is a 27-carbon stanol formed from the biohydrogenation of cholesterol (cholest-5en-3β-ol) in the gut of most higher animals (e.g., birds; humans and other mammals). It is formed by the conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol (cholestanol) in the gut of most higher animals by intestinal bacteria.

Plants make cholesterol in very small amounts, but also manufacture phytosterols (which include plant sterols and stanols, similar to cholesterol and cholestanol), which can compete with cholesterol for reabsorption in the intestinal tract, thus potentially reducing cholesterol reabsorption. Cholesterol is often used in the manufacture of medicines, cosmetics, and other applications. There is an increased interest in producing increased levels of both plant phytosterols and plant-based cholesterol.

In tomato (e.g., Solanum lycopersicum, Solanum pennellii), α-tomatine and dehydrotomatine represent the major SGAs accumulating predominantly in green tissues; young and mature leaves, flower buds, skin and seeds of immature and mature green fruit. Dehydrotomatidine (i.e. tomatidenol) is the first SA aglycone formed in SGA biosynthesis which could further be hydrogenated at the C-5 position to form tomatidine. Both aglycones are further glycosylated (tetra-saccharide moiety i.e. lycotetrose) to produce dehydrotomatine and α-tomatine, respectively. Thus, the SGA pathway branches at dehydrotomatidine for either formation of tomatidine derived SGAs or glycosylated dehydrotomatine derivatives. Notably, dehydrotomatidine and tomatidine are only different in their structures by the presence or absence of the double bond at the C-5 position. The conversion of dehydrotomatidine to tomatidine was hypothesized in the past as a single reaction catalyzed by a hypothetical hydrogenase. In most tomato plant tissues, the relative portion of dehydrotomatine as compared to α-tomatine ranges from ˜2.5-˜10%. As tomato fruit matures and reaches to the red stage, the entire pool of α-tomatine and dehydrotomatine is largely being converted to esculeosides (major SGAs) and dehydroesculeosides (minor SGAs), respectively.

In cultivated potato, α-chaconine and α-solanine are the major SGAs sharing the same aglycone, solanidine (in which a C-5,6 double bond is present) and possess chacotriose and solatriose moieties, respectively. As there is no demissidine or demissine detected in cultivated potatoes, it was suggested that a hydrogenase enzyme able to convert solanidine to demissidine is lacking in these species. Several wild potato species (e.g. S. demissum, S. chacoense, S. commersonii) and their somatic hybrids (S. brevidens×S. tuberosum), predicted to contain an active hydrogenase, do produce demissidine or its glycosylated form, demissine being one of their major SGAs.

In eggplant, α-solamargine and α-solasonine are the most abundant SGAs derived from the solasodine aglycone (in which a C-5,6 double bond is present); while some wild solanum species, e.g. S. dulcamara produce soladulcidine or its glycosylated forms, soladulcine A and β-soladulcine (C-5,6 double bond is absent), as major SGAs from the solasodine aglycone.

In addition to SGAs, many Solanum species (e.g. eggplant) also produce cholesterol-derived unsaturated or saturated steroidal saponins. Unsaturated and saturated steroidal saponins are widespread in the plant kingdom, especially among monocots, e.g. the Agavaceae (e.g., agave and yucca), Asparagaceae (e.g., asparagus), Dioscoreaceae and Liliaceae families. Similar to SGAs, steroidal saponins are highly diverse in structures and could be either saturated (e.g. sarasapogenin) or unsaturated (e.g. diosgenin) in the C-5,6 position.

Cholesterol, the main sterol produced by all animals, serves as a key building block in the biosynthesis of SGAs. An array of tomato and potato GLYCOALKALOIDMETABOLISM (GAME) genes participating in core SGA biosynthesis starting from cholesterol were reported in recent years. The tomato SGAs biosynthetic pathway can be divided into two main parts. In the first, the SA aglycone is formed from cholesterol by the likely action of the GAME6, GAME8, GAME11, GAME4 and GAME12 enzymes. The second part results in the generation of SGA through the action of UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs): GAME1, GAME2, GAME17 and GAME18 in tomato, and STEROL ALKALOID GLYCOSYL TRANSFERASE1 (SGT1), SGT2 and SGT3 in potato.

The demand for higher food quantities and food with improved quality continues to increase. Improved nutritional qualities as well as removal of antinutritional traits are both of high demand. In the course of crop domestication, levels of anti-nutrients were reduced by breeding. However, Solanaceous crop plants still contain significant amount of antinutritional substances, particularly steroidal glycoalkaloids.

Alternatively, the ability to manipulate the synthesis of these SGAs would provide the means to develop, through classical breeding or genetic engineering, crops with modified levels and composition of SGAs, conferring on the plant an endogenous chemical barrier against a broad range of insects and other pathogens.

In addition, there is a demand both for plant-based cholesterols and, conversely, for plants with increased levels of phytocholesterols or other phytosterols.

Thus, there is a demand for, and would be highly advantageous to have means and method for controlling the production of steroidal alkaloids in Solanaceous plants for obtaining high quality non-toxic food products as well as for the production of steroidal alkaloids and phytosterols with beneficial, particularly therapeutic, effects.

SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates to key genes and enzymes in the biosynthesis pathway converting cholesterol to steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGA), useful for modulating the expression of steroidal alkaloids and in plants. Particularly, the present invention relates to transgenic Solanaceous plants with reduced content of antinutritional alkaloids.

The present invention is based in part on the unexpected discovery that the biosynthesis of SGAs in Solanaceous plant involves an array of genes, wherein 5-7 of the genes (depending on the plant species) are clustered on chromosome 7 and additional two genes are placed adjacent in a duplicated genomic region on chromosome 12. Several regulatory genes, including transcription factors were found to be co-expressed with the clustered genes. Modulating the expression of particular genes within the array enabled strict control of the production of steroidal alkaloids and glycosylated derivatives thereof. Unexpectedly, modulating the expression of a single gene or transcription factor resulted in significant elevation/reduction in the content of steroidal alkaloids (e.g., solanine and/or chaconine in potato), in tomato, potato and eggplant plants, of α-tomatine in tomato plants, of cholesterol in tomato plants. Particularly, the present invention now shows that modulating a single transcription factor, designated herein GAME9-transcription factor resulted in strict control on the production of steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) in potato tuber peels. Particularly, the present invention now shows that modulating a single protein, designated herein GAME15 (the product of a cellulose synthase like gene), resulted in strict control on the production of steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) and steroidal saponins in tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants. Inhibiting the expression of a gene encoding 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (GAME11) resulted in a significant reduction in α-tomatine level and accumulation of several phytosterols, including cholesterol, cholestanol, and any of their modified glycosylated derivatives, steroidal saponins in tomato plants. Inhibiting the expression of a gene encoding cellulose synthase like protein (GAME15) resulted in a significant reduction in levels of α-tomatine and downstream SGAs (including esculeosides) in tomato plants and an accumulation of cholesterol (a precursor for SGAs) in tomato plants. In potato, silencing of GAME15 resulted in significant reductions in α-chaconine and α-solanine and in accumulation of a cholesterol pool. According to one aspect, the present invention provides a genetically modified or gene edited plant comprising at least one cell having altered expression of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a gene encoding a cellulose synthase like protein ((GAME15), wherein the genetically modified or gene edited plant has an altered content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to a corresponding unmodified or unedited plant.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a genetically modified plant comprising at least one cell having altered expression of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a gene encoding at least one cellulose synthase like protein compared to its expression in a corresponding unmodified plant, wherein the genetically modified plant has an altered content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.

According to certain embodiments, expression of the gene encoding the at least one cellulose synthase like protein is reduced compared to its expression in the corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the genetically modified plant comprises reduced content at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to the corresponding unmodified plant. According to other embodiments, expression of the gene encoding the at least one cellulose synthase like protein is elevated compared to its expression in the corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the genetically modified plant comprises elevated content at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides method of reducing the content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof in a modified plant, the method comprising (a) transforming at least one plant cell with at least one silencing molecule targeted to a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one protein comprising a cellulose synthase like protein; or (b) mutagenizing at least one gene or a combination of genes, the genes encoding at least one protein selected from the group consisting of cellulose synthase like proteins, wherein the mutagenesis comprises introduction of one or more point mutations into the gene, or genome editing, or use of a bacterial CRISPR/CAS system, or a combination thereof, wherein expression of the gene encoding the at least one cellulose synthase like protein is reduced in the modified plant compared to its expression in a corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the modified plant comprises reduced content at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a method of producing at least one phytosterol in a modified plant, the method comprising (a) transforming at least one plant cell with at least one silencing molecule targeted to a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one protein comprising a cellulose synthase like factor; or (b) mutagenizing at least one gene or a combination of genes, the genes encoding at least one protein selected from the group consisting of cellulose synthase like factors, wherein the mutagenesis comprises introduction of one or more point mutations into the gene, or genome editing, or use of a bacterial CRISPR/CAS system, or a combination thereof, wherein expression of the gene encoding the at least one cellulose synthase like protein is reduced in the modified plant compared to its expression in a corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the modified plant comprises reduced content at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.

According to certain embodiments, the plant is a transgenic plant comprising at least one cell comprising at least one transcribable polynucleotide encoding at least one protein comprising a cellulose synthase like protein. According to certain embodiments, the transcribable polynucleotide comprises the nucleic acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, or 42.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The patent of application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

FIG. 1 shows the proposed biosynthetic pathway of steroidal glycoalkaloids in the triterpenoid biosynthetic pathway in Solanaceous plant from cholesterol toward α-tomatine. Dashed and solid arrows represent multiple or single enzymatic reactions in the pathway, respectively.

FIG. 2 summarizes the coexpression analysis of steroidal alkaloid-associated genes in Solanaceous plants. Shared homologs of coexpressed genes for ‘baits’ from tomato (SlGAME1 and SlGAME4) and potato (StSGT1 and StGAME4). Continuous (r-value>0.8) and dashed (r-value>0.63) lines connect coexpressed genes. *, located in the tomato or potato chromosome 7 cluster. St, Solanum tuberosum; Sl, S. lycopersicum. Background of gene names corresponds to bait they were found to be coexpressed with (legend above). SP, serine proteinase; PI, proteinase inhibitor; UPL, ubiquitin protein ligase; ELP, extensin-like protein; PK, protein kinase; SR, sterol reductase; RL, receptor-like.

FIG. 3 presents schematic map of genes identified in the duplicated genomic regions in tomato and potato and their coexpression. Coexpression with GAME1/SGT1 (chromosome 7) and GAME4 (chromosome 12) as baits in either potato or tomato are presented in a form of a heatmap (Tables 3-6). Specific gene families are indicated by dark arrows while members of other gene families are in white arrows.

FIGS. 4A-4H shows functional analysis of tomato GAME genes. (FIG. 4A) GAME8-silenced transgenic (RNAi) leaves accumulated 22-(R)-hydroxycholesterol compared to wild type. (FIG. 4B) An array of cholestanol-type steroidal saponins (STSs) accumulates in GAME11 VIGS-silenced leaves. (FIG. 4C) An STS (m/z=753.4) accumulates in GAME12 VIGS-leaves. (FIG. 4D) Tomatidine, the steroidal alkaloid aglycone, accumulates in GAME1-silenced transgenic leaves. (FIGS. 4E to 4H) Enzyme activity assays of the 4 recombinant tomato GAME glycosyltransferases.

FIGS. 5A-5D show solanine/chaconine levels in peels of tuber of potato plant lines with altered expression of GAME9 compared to wild type plants. Solanine (FIG. 5A) and chaconine (FIG. 5B) level in tubers of GAME9 silenced plant; Solanine (FIG. 5C) and chaconine (FIG. 5D) levels in tubers of GAME9 overexpressing plants.

FIG. 6 shows solanine/chaconine levels in leaves of potato plant lines with either silenced (RNAi) or overexpressed (OX) GAME9 compared to wild type plants.

FIG. 7 shows tomatine levels in leaves of tomato plant lines with either silenced (RNAi, line 5871) or overexpressed (OX, line 5879) GAME9 compared to wild type plants.

FIGS. 8A-8D show the effect of silencing of GAME11 dioxygenase in tomato. (FIG. 8A) α-tomatine levels in leaves (m/z=1034.5) (FIG. 8B) cholestanol-type steroidal saponins (STS) in leaves (m/z=1331.6, 1333.6, 1199.6, 1201.6 (major saponins)). (FIG. 8C) MS/MS spectrum of m/z=1331.6 (at 19.28 min.). (FIG. 8D) The fragmentation patterns of the saponin eluted at 19.28 min. and accumulating in GAME11-silenced leaves. Corresponding mass signals are marked with an asterisk on the MS/MS chromatogram in FIG. 8C.

FIGS. 9A-9E show metabolites extracted from GAME18-silenced mature green tomato fruit. Peaks of newly accumulating compounds corresponding to the γ-tomatine standard (m/z=740.5) (FIGS. 9A-9C), and γ-tomatine pentoside (m/z=872.5) (FIGS. 9D-9E) are shown.

FIGS. 10A-10D show the effect of silencing of GAME12 transaminase in tomato. (FIG. 10A) accumulation of a furastanol-type STS. (FIGS. 10B-10C) GAME12-silenced leaves accumulate an STS (m/z=753.4), while it exists in only minor quantities in WT leaf. (FIG. 10D) MS/MS spectrum of m/z=753.4 at 19.71 min. with interpretation of the fragments.

FIGS. 11A-11D show the effect silencing of GAME8 in tomato plants. GAME8-silenced leaves accumulated 22-(S) and -(R)-cholesterol (FIG. 11A). Chromatograms (mass range 172.5-173.5) acquired via EI-GC/MS, MS spectra and structures (tri-methyl-silyl derivatives) of the compounds are shown. Commercial standards of 22-(R)-(FIG. 11B) and 22-(S)-cholesterol (FIG. 11C) were used to verify the putative identification. (FIG. 11D) GAME8-silenced line accumulates both isomers in comparison to WT (Q).

FIG. 12 shows the phylogenetic tree of GAME genes in the plant CYP450 protein family. The numbers on the branches indicate the fraction of bootstrap iterations supporting each node.

FIG. 13 shows a proposed expanded biosynthetic pathway in Solanaceous plants from Cycloartenol (Part I), through Cholesterol (Part II), through Tomatidine (Part III), through Steroidal Glycoalkaloids including α-tomatine to Lycoperosides/Esculeoside (Part IV). Dashed arrows represent multiple enzymatic reactions in the pathway.

FIGS. 14A-14C show an overview of SGA biosynthesis in (FIG. 14A) tomato, (FIG. 14B) potato, and (FIG. 14C) eggplant.

FIGS. 15A-15C show major SGA levels in (FIG. 15A) leaves and (FIG. 15B) green fruit and (FIG. 15C) red fruit of wild type (non-transformed) and GAME15-RNAi tomato lines determined by LC-MS, #21, #22 and #23 are three independent GAME15-RNAi transgenic tomato lines. Values indicate means of three biological replicates±standard error. Asterisks indicate significant changes from wild-type samples as calculated by a Student's t-test (*P-value<0.05; **P-value<0.01; ***P-value<0.001).

FIG. 16 shows levels of α-solanine and α-chaconine in leaves of GAME15-RNAi lines as determined by LC-MS. #1, #2 and #3 are three independent GAME15i transgenic potato lines. Values represent mean±standard error n=3). Student's t-test was used to assess whether the transgenic lines significantly differ from wild-type plants: (*P-value<0.05; **P-value<0.01; ***P-value<0.001).

FIG. 17 shows the cholesterol content of tomato leaves derived from GAME15 silenced plants. Values represent mean of three biological replicates±standard error. Asterisks indicate significant changes in leaves of the three independent transgenes (#21, #22 and #23) as compared to wild-type leaves (i.e. non-transformed) calculated by a Student's t-test (*P-value<0.05; **P-value<0.01; ***P-value<0.001). Epicholesterol was used as an internal standard in sample preparations and relative cholesterol level is expressed as ratios of cholesterol peak areas in sample compared to internal standard. The analysis was performed using GC-MS.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a genetically modified plant comprising at least one cell having altered expression of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a gene encoding at least one cellulose synthase like protein compared to its expression in a corresponding unmodified plant, wherein the genetically modified plant has an altered content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.

According to certain embodiments, the cellulose synthase like protein is a GAME15 protein. According to certain embodiments, the amino acid sequence of the cellulose synthase like protein of the corresponding unmodified plant comprises the sequence set for cellulose synthase like protein is at least 80% homologous to the amino acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 33, 35, 37, 39, 42, or 43. According to certain embodiments, the polynucleotide encoding the cellulose synthase like protein of the corresponding unmodified plant comprises the nucleic acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, or 42.

According to certain embodiments, expression of the at least one gene or any combination thereof is altered, the altering comprising mutagenizing the at least one gene, wherein the mutagenesis comprises introduction of one or more point mutations, or genome editing, or use of a bacterial CRISPR/CAS system, or a combination thereof.

According to certain embodiments, expression of the gene encoding the at least one cellulose synthase like protein is reduced compared to its expression in the corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the genetically modified plant comprises reduced content at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.

According to certain embodiments, the genetically modified plant is a transgenic plant comprising at least one cell comprising at least one silencing molecule targeted to a polynucleotide encoding at least one cellulose synthase like protein. According to certain embodiments, the transgenic plant comprises a polynucleotide encoding a cellulose synthase like protein, wherein expression of the polynucleotide is selectively silenced, repressed, or reduced. According to certain embodiments, the transgenic plant comprises a polynucleotide encoding a cellulose synthase like protein, wherein the polynucleotide has been selectively edited by deletion, insertion, or modification to silence, repress, or reduce expression thereof, or wherein the genetically modified plant is a progeny of the gene edited plant.

According to certain embodiments, the transgenic plant comprises at least one cell comprising at least one silencing molecule targeted to a GAME15 gene.

According to certain embodiments, the transgenic plant comprises at least one cell comprising at least one silencing molecule targeted to the nucleic acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, or 42. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is selected from the group consisting of an RNA interference molecule and an antisense molecule, or wherein the silencing molecule is a component of a viral induced gene silencing system. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule comprises a polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence substantially complementary to a region of the GAME15 gene having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in any one SEQ ID NOS: 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, or 42 or a complementary sequence thereof. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 fragment having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 44 or a complementary sequence thereof. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 fragment having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 45 or a complementary sequence thereof. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 fragment having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 46 or a complementary sequence thereof.

According to certain embodiments, the genetically modified plant is a Solanaceae plant having a reduced content of at least one steroidal glycoalkaloid selected from the group consisting of α-tomatine, tomatidine, α-chaconine, α-solanine, α-solasonine, α-solmargine, and derivatives thereof, compared to a corresponding unmodified plant. According to certain embodiments, the genetically modified plant further comprises an elevated content of a phytosterol or a derivative thereof, a cholesterol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholesterol or a derivative thereof, a cholestenol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholestanol or a derivative thereof, or a steroidal saponin or a derivative thereof compared to a corresponding unmodified plant.

According to certain embodiments, the plant is a Solanaceae plant selected from the group consisting of tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper. According to certain embodiments, the plant is a tomato plant comprising a reduced content of α-tomatine, tomatidine, or derivatives thereof. According to certain embodiments, the plant is a tomato plant comprising an elevated content of a phytosterol, a phytocholesterol or cholesterol, a phytocholestenol or cholestenol, a steroidal saponin, or derivative thereof. According to certain embodiments, the plant is a potato plant comprising a reduced content of α-chaconine, α-solanine, or derivatives thereof. According to certain embodiments, the plant is an eggplant plant comprising a reduced content of α-solasonine, α-solamargine, or derivatives thereof.

According to other certain embodiments, expression of the gene encoding the at least one cellulose synthase like protein is elevated compared to its expression in the corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the genetically modified plant comprises elevated content at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to the corresponding unmodified plant. According to certain embodiments, the transgenic plant comprises a polynucleotide encoding a cellulose synthase like protein, wherein expression of the polynucleotide is selectively increased. According to certain embodiments, the transgenic plant comprising at least one cell comprising at least one transcribable polynucleotide encoding at least one protein selected from the group consisting of at least one a cellulose synthase like protein. According to certain embodiments, the cellulose synthase like protein is a GAME15 protein. According to certain embodiments, the transcribable polynucleotide comprises the nucleic acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, or 42. According to certain embodiments, the genetically modified plant is a Solanaceae plant having an elevated content of at least one steroidal glycoalkaloid selected from the group consisting of α-tomatine, tomatidine, α-chaconine, α-solanine, α-solasonine, α-solmargine, and derivatives thereof, compared to a corresponding unmodified plant. According to certain embodiments, the genetically modified plant further comprises a reduced content of a phytosterol or a derivative thereof, a cholesterol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholesterol or a derivative thereof, a cholestenol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholestanol or a derivative thereof, or a steroidal saponin or a derivative thereof compared to a corresponding unmodified plant. According to certain embodiments, the plant is a Solanaceae plant selected from the group consisting of tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a method of reducing the content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof in a modified plant, the method comprising (a) transforming at least one plant cell with at least one silencing molecule targeted to a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one protein comprising a cellulose synthase like protein; or (b) mutagenizing at least one gene or a combination of genes, the genes encoding at least one protein selected from the group consisting of cellulose synthase like proteins, wherein the mutagenesis comprises introduction of one or more point mutations into the gene, or genome editing, or use of a bacterial CRISPR/CAS system, or a combination thereof wherein expression of the gene encoding the at least one cellulose synthase like protein is reduced in the modified plant compared to its expression in a corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the modified plant comprises reduced content at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.

According to certain embodiments, the cellulose synthase like protein is a GAME15 protein. According to certain embodiments, the amino acid sequence of the cellulose synthase like protein of the corresponding unmodified plant comprises the sequence set for cellulose synthase like protein is at least 80% homologous to the amino acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 33, 35, 37, 39, 42, or 43. According to certain embodiments, wherein the polynucleotide encoding the cellulose synthase like protein of the corresponding unmodified plant comprises the nucleic acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, or 42.

According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 fragment having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 44 or a complementary sequence thereof. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 fragment having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 45 or a complementary sequence thereof. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 fragment having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 46 or a complementary sequence thereof.

According to certain embodiments, the modified plant is a Solanaceae plant having a reduced content of at least one steroidal glycoalkaloid selected from the group consisting of α-tomatine, tomatidine, α-chaconine, α-solanine, α-solasonine, α-solmargine, and derivatives thereof, compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.

According to certain embodiments, the modified plant further comprises an elevated content of a phytosterol or a derivative thereof a cholesterol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholesterol or a derivative thereof, a cholestenol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholestanol or a derivative thereof, or a steroidal saponin or a derivative thereof compared to a corresponding unmodified plant.

According to certain embodiments, the modified plant is a Solanaceae plant selected from the group consisting of tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper. According to certain embodiments, the plant is a tomato plant comprising a reduced content of α-tomatine, tomatidine, or derivatives thereof. According to certain embodiments, the plant is a tomato plant comprising an elevated content of a phytosterol, a phytocholesterol or cholesterol, a phytocholestenol or cholestenol, a steroidal saponin, or derivative thereof. According to certain embodiments, the plant is a potato plant comprising a reduced content of α-chaconine, α-solanine, or derivatives thereof. According to certain embodiments, the plant is an eggplant plant comprising a reduced content of α-solasonine, α-solamargine, or derivatives thereof.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a method of producing at least one phytosterol in a modified plant, the method comprising (a) transforming at least one plant cell with at least one silencing molecule targeted to a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one protein comprising a cellulose synthase like factor; or (b) mutagenizing at least one gene or a combination of genes, the genes encoding at least one protein selected from the group consisting of cellulose synthase like factors, wherein the mutagenesis comprises introduction of one or more point mutations into the gene, or genome editing, or use of a bacterial CRISPR/CAS system, or a combination thereof, wherein expression of the gene encoding the at least one cellulose synthase like protein is reduced in the modified plant compared to its expression in a corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the modified plant comprises reduced content at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.

According to certain embodiments, the cellulose synthase like protein is a GAME15 protein. According to certain embodiments, the amino acid sequence of the cellulose synthase like protein of a corresponding unmodified plant comprises the sequence set for cellulose synthase like protein is at least 80% homologous to the amino acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 33, 35, 37, 39, 42, or 43. According to certain embodiments, the polynucleotide encoding the cellulose synthase like protein of a corresponding unmodified plant comprises the nucleic acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, or 42.

According to certain embodiments, the method further comprises purifying the phytosterol extracted from the transformed plant. According to certain embodiments, the phytosterol comprises phytocholesterol.

According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 fragment having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 44 or a complementary sequence thereof. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 fragment having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 45 or a complementary sequence thereof. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 fragment having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 46 or a complementary sequence thereof.

According to certain embodiments, the modified plant further comprises an elevated content of a phytosterol or a derivative thereof, a cholesterol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholesterol or a derivative thereof, a cholestenol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholestanol or a derivative thereof, or a steroidal saponin or a derivative thereof compared to a corresponding unmodified plant.

According to certain embodiments, the modified plant is a Solanaceae plant. According to certain embodiments, the Solanaceae plant is selected from the group consisting of tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper.

It is to be understood that inhibiting the expression of the at least one gene or combination thereof may be achieved by various means, all of which are explicitly encompassed within the scope of present invention. According to certain embodiments, inhibiting the expression of GAME15 can be affected at the genomic and/or the transcript level using a variety of molecules that interfere with transcription and/or translation including, but not limited to, antisense, siRNA, Ribozyme, or DNAzyme molecules. Inserting a mutation to the at least one gene, including deletions, insertions, site specific mutations, zinc-finger nucleases and the like can be also used, as long as the mutation results in down-regulation of the gene expression. According to other embodiments, expression is inhibited at the protein level using antagonists, enzymes that cleave the polypeptide and the like.

According to certain exemplary embodiments, the genetically modified or gene edited plant is a transgenic plant comprising at least one cell comprising at least one silencing molecule targeted to a GAME15 gene. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment of the present invention. According to some embodiments, the at least one silencing molecule is selected from the group consisting of RNA interference molecule and anti sense molecule. According to these embodiments, the transgenic plant comprises reduced content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or glycosylated derivative thereof, or of at least one steroidal saponin or glycosylated derivative thereof, compared to non-transgenic plant. According to certain embodiments, the at least one steroidal alkaloid is steroidal glycoalkaloid. According to certain exemplary embodiments, the steroidal glycoalkaloid is selected from the group consisting of α-solanine, α-chaconine, α-solmargine, α-solasonine, α-tomatine, tomatidine and derivatives thereof. According to certain embodiments, the transgenic plant comprises reduced content of at least one downstream steroidal alkaloid or glycosylated derivative thereof compared to non-transgenic plant. According to certain exemplary embodiments, the downstream steroidal glycoalkaloid is selected from the group consisting of esculeosides. According to certain embodiments, the transgenic plant comprises increased content of at least one phytosterol. In some embodiments, the phytosterol is a phytocholesterol, a cholesterol, or a cholestanol. According to some embodiments, the transgenic plant comprises a plurality of cells comprising the silencing molecule targeted to at least one GAME15 gene. According to additional embodiments, the majority of the plant cells comprise the silencing molecule.

The silencing molecule target to at least one GAME15 can be designed as is known to a person skilled in the art. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule comprises a polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence substantially complementary to a region of the GAME15, gene or to a complementary sequence of GAME15, e.g., having the nucleic acids sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 44 to 46. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment of the present invention.

According to certain exemplary embodiments, the silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 fragment having the nucleic acids sequence set forth in SEQ ID NOS: 44 to 46 or a complementary sequence thereof.

According to certain additional embodiments, the silencing molecule comprises a polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence substantially complementary to a region of the GAME15 gene or a complementary sequence thereof, having the nucleic acids sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 44 to 46. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment of the present invention.

According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule is an antisense RNA.

According to certain exemplary embodiments, the silencing molecule is an RNA interference (RNAi) molecule. According to some embodiments, the silencing molecule is a double-stranded (ds)RNA molecule. According to certain embodiments, the first and the second polynucleotides are separated by a spacer. According to exemplary embodiments, the spacer sequence is an intron. According to yet further embodiments, the expression of the first and the second polynucleotides is derived from one promoter. According to other embodiments, expression of the first and the second polynucleotides are derived from two promoters; the promoters can be identical or different. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment of the present invention.

According certain exemplary embodiments, the dsRNA is targeted to GAME15, said dsRNA molecule comprises a first polynucleotide and a second polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence complementary to said first polynucleotide.

According to certain embodiments, the transgenic tomato plant further comprises elevated amounts of steroidal saponins. According to certain embodiments, the steroidal saponin is a cholesterol-derived saponin. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment of the present invention.

Overexpression of the at least one gene can be obtained by any method as is known to a person skilled in the art. According to certain embodiments, the present invention provides a transgenic plant comprising at least one cell comprising at least one transcribable polynucleotide encoding at least one GAME15 protein, wherein the transgenic plant comprises elevated content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to a corresponding non-transgenic plant or reduced content of at least one phytosterol.

According to some embodiments, the polynucleotides of the present invention are incorporated in a DNA construct enabling their expression in the plant cell. DNA constructs suitable for use in plants are known to a person skilled in the art. According to one embodiment, the DNA construct comprises at least one expression regulating element selected from the group consisting of a promoter, an enhancer, an origin of replication, a transcription termination sequence, a polyadenylation signal and the like.

The DNA constructs of the present invention are designed according to the results to be achieved. In crop plants, reduction of toxic steroidal glycoalkaloids is desired in the edible parts of the plant, including, for example, fruit and tubers. On the other hand, enriching the content of toxic steroidal glycoalkaloids in non-edible roots and leaves contributes to the resistance of the plant against a broad range of pathogens. Plants overexpressing the steroidal glycoalkaloids can be used for producing them for the pharmaceutical industry.

According to certain embodiments, the DNA construct comprises a promoter. The promoter can be constitutive, induced or tissue specific as is known in the art. Optionally, the DNA construct further comprises a selectable marker, enabling the convenient selection of the transformed cell/tissue. Additionally, or alternatively, a reporter gene can be incorporated into the construct, so as to enable selection of transformed cells or tissue expressing the reporter gene.

Suspensions of genetically modified or gene edited cells and tissue cultures derived from the genetically modified or gene edited cells are also encompassed within the scope of the present invention. The cell suspension and tissue cultures can be used for the production of desired steroidal glycoalkaloids and, which are then extracted from the cells or the growth medium. Alternatively, the genetically modified or gene edited cells and/or tissue culture are used for regenerating a transgenic plant having modified or gene edited expression of GAME15, therefore having modified content of steroidal glycoalkaloids.

The present invention further encompasses seeds of the genetically modified or gene edited plant, wherein plants grown from said seeds have altered expression of GAME15 compared to plants grown from corresponding unmodified or unedited seeds, thereby having an altered content of at least one steroidal glycoalkaloid.

Genetically Modified Plants & Gene Edited Plants

Disclosed herein are genetically modified plants and gene edited plants, wherein expression of key genes in the steroidal glycoalkaloids metabolic pathway (biosynthesis pathway of steroidal alkaloids and glycosylated derivatives thereof) have been altered. Altering the expression of these genes results in concomitant alteration in the steroidal alkaloid profile. Changing the production level of steroidal alkaloid can result in improved plants comprising elevated content of steroidal alkaloids having increased resistance to pathogens, or plants having a reduced content of these secondary compounds in the plant edible parts and thus producing improved crops, wherein the improved crop has reduced or eliminated anti-nutritional content. Alternatively, or additionally, controlling the expression of genes disclosed herein may be used for the production of desired steroidal alkaloids or plant-based cholesterol for further use, for example in the pharmaceutical industry. In particular, disclosed herein are the means and methods for producing crop plants of the Solanaceae family that are devoid of toxic amounts of deleterious steroidal alkaloids typically present in edible parts of these plants. The plants disclosed herein are thus of significant nutritional and commercial value.

Disclosed herein are an array of co-expressed genes that participate in the biosynthesis pathway of steroidal alkaloids. The present invention further discloses key genes in this pathway, altering the expression of which result in concomitant alteration in the steroidal alkaloid profile. Changing the production level of steroidal alkaloid can result in an improved plant comprising elevated content of steroidal alkaloids having increased resistance to pathogens, or plants having a reduced content of these secondary compounds in the plant edible parts and thus producing improved crops. Alternatively, or additionally, controlling the expression of genes revealed in the present invention can be used for the production of desired steroidal alkaloids or plant-based cholesterol for further use, for example in the pharmaceutical industry. In particular, the present invention discloses means and methods for producing crop plants of the genus Solanum that are devoid of toxic amounts of deleterious steroidal alkaloids typically present in edible parts of these plants. The plants of the present invention are thus of significant nutritional and commercial value.

Definitions

As used herein, the term “Solanaceous” refers to a plant of the genus Solanum.

The term “gene” refers to a nucleic acid (e.g., DNA or RNA) sequence that comprises coding sequences necessary for the production of RNA or a polypeptide. A polypeptide can be encoded by a full-length coding sequence or by any part thereof. The term “parts thereof” when used in reference to a gene refers to fragments of that gene. The fragments may range in size from a few nucleotides to the entire gene sequence minus one nucleotide. Thus, “a nucleic acid sequence comprising at least a part of a gene” may comprise fragments of the gene or the entire gene.

The term “gene” optionally also encompasses the coding regions of a structural gene and includes sequences located adjacent to the coding region on both the 5′ and 3′ ends for a distance of about 1 kb on either end such that the gene corresponds to the length of the full-length mRNA. The sequences which are located 5′ of the coding region and which are present on the mRNA are referred to as 5′ non-translated sequences. The sequences which are located 3′ or downstream of the coding region and which are present on the mRNA are referred to as 3′ non-translated sequences.

One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the term “gene” may encompass a nucleic acid (e.g., DNA or RNA) sequence that comprises coding sequences necessary for the production of RNA or a polypeptide. A polypeptide can be encoded by a full-length coding sequence or by any part thereof. The term “parts thereof” when used in reference to a gene refers to fragments of that gene. The fragments may range in size from a few nucleotides to the entire gene sequence minus one nucleotide. Thus, “a nucleic acid sequence comprising at least a part of a gene” may comprise fragments of the gene or the entire gene.

The skilled artisan would appreciate that the term “gene” optionally also encompasses the coding regions of a structural gene and includes sequences located adjacent to the coding region on both the 5′ and 3′ ends for a distance of about 1 kb on either end such that the gene corresponds to the length of the full-length mRNA. The sequences which are located 5′ of the coding region and which are present on the mRNA are referred to as 5′ non-translated sequences. The sequences which are located 3′ or downstream of the coding region and which are present on the mRNA are referred to as 3′ non-translated sequences.

In one embodiment, a gene comprises DNA sequence comprising upstream and downstream regions, as well as the coding region, which comprises exons and any intervening introns of the gene. In some embodiments, upstream and downstream regions comprise non-coding regulatory regions. In some embodiments, upstream and downstream regions comprise regulatory sequences, for example but not limited to promoters, enhancers, and silencers. Non-limiting examples of regulatory sequences include, but are not limited to, AGGA box, TATA box, Inr, DPE, ZmUbi1, PvUbi1, PvUbi2, CaMV, 35S, OsAct1, zE19, E8, TA29, A9, pDJ3S, B33, PAT1, alcA, G-box, ABRE, DRE, and PCNA. Regulatory regions, may in some embodiments, increase or decrease the expression of specific genes within a plant described herein.

In another embodiment, a gene comprises the coding regions of the gene, which comprises exons and any intervening introns of the gene. In another embodiment, a gene comprises its regulatory sequences. In another embodiment, a gene comprises the gene promoter. In another embodiment, a gene comprises its enhancer regions. In another embodiment, a gene comprises 5′ non-coding sequences. In another embodiment, a gene comprises 3′ non-coding sequences.

In one embodiment, the skilled artisan would appreciate that DNA comprises a gene, which may include upstream and downstream sequences, as well as the coding region of the gene. In another embodiment, DNA comprises a cDNA (complementary DNA). One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that cDNA may encompass synthetic DNA reverse transcribed from RNA through the action of a reverse transcriptase. The cDNA may be single stranded or double stranded and can include strands that have either or both of a sequence that is substantially identical to a part of the RNA sequence or a complement to a part of the RNA sequence. Further, cDNA may include upstream and downstream regulatory sequences. In still another embodiment, DNA comprises CDS (complete coding sequence). One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that CDS may encompass a DNA sequence, which encodes a full-length protein or polypeptide. A CDS typically begins with a start codon (“ATG”) and ends at (or one before) the first in-frame stop codon (“TAA”, “TAG”, or “TGA”). The skilled artisan would recognize that a cDNA, in one embodiment, comprises a CDS.

The terms “polynucleotide”, “polynucleotide sequence”, “nucleic acid sequence”, and “isolated polynucleotide” are used interchangeably herein. These terms encompass nucleotide sequences and the like. A polynucleotide may be a polymer of RNA or DNA or hybrid thereof, that is single- or double-stranded, linear or branched, and that optionally contains synthetic, non-natural or altered nucleotide bases. The terms also encompass RNA/DNA hybrids.

The term “RNA interference” or “RNAi” refers to the silencing or decreasing of gene expression mediated by small double stranded RNAs. It is the process of sequence-specific, post-transcriptional gene silencing in animals and plants, initiated by inhibitory RNA (iRNA) that is homologous in its duplex region to the sequence of the silenced gene. The gene may be endogenous or exogenous to the organism, present integrated into a chromosome or present in a transfection vector that is not integrated into the genome. The expression of the gene is either completely or partially inhibited. RNAi may also be considered to inhibit the function of a target RNA; the function of the target RNA may be complete or partial.

Typically, the term RNAi molecule refers to single- or double-stranded RNA molecules comprising both a sense and antisense sequence. For example, the RNA interference molecule can be a double-stranded polynucleotide molecule comprising self-complementary sense and antisense regions, wherein the antisense region comprises complementarity to a target nucleic acid molecule. Alternatively the RNAi molecule can be a single-stranded hairpin polynucleotide having self-complementary sense and antisense regions, wherein the antisense region comprises complementarity to a target nucleic acid molecule or it can be a circular single-stranded polynucleotide having two or more loop structures and a stem comprising self-complementary sense and antisense regions, wherein the antisense region comprises complementarity to a target nucleic acid molecule, and wherein the circular polynucleotide can be processed either in vivo or in vitro to generate an active molecule capable of mediating RNAi.

The terms “complementary” or “complement thereof” are used herein to refer to the sequences of polynucleotides which is capable of forming Watson & Crick base pairing with another specified polynucleotide throughout the entirety of the complementary region. This term is applied to pairs of polynucleotides based solely upon their sequences and not any particular set of conditions under which the two polynucleotides would actually bind.

The term “construct” as used herein refers to an artificially assembled or isolated nucleic acid molecule which includes the polynucleotide of interest. In general, a construct may include the polynucleotide or polynucleotides of interest, a marker gene which in some cases can also be a gene of interest and appropriate regulatory sequences. It should be appreciated that the inclusion of regulatory sequences in a construct is optional, for example, such sequences may not be required in situations where the regulatory sequences of a host cell are to be used. The term construct includes vectors but should not be seen as being limited thereto.

The term “operably linked” refers to the association of nucleic acid sequences on a single nucleic acid fragment so that the function of one is regulated by the other. For example, a promoter is operably linked with a coding sequence when it is capable of regulating the expression of that coding sequence (i.e., that the coding sequence is under the transcriptional control of the promoter). Coding sequences can be operably linked to regulatory sequences in a sense or antisense orientation.

The terms “promoter element,” “promoter,” or “promoter sequence” as used herein, refer to a DNA sequence that is located at the 5′ end (i.e. precedes) the coding region of a DNA polymer. The location of most promoters known in nature precedes the transcribed region. The promoter functions as a switch, activating the expression of a gene. If the gene is activated, it is said to be transcribed, or participating in transcription. Transcription involves the synthesis of mRNA from the gene. The promoter, therefore, serves as a transcriptional regulatory element and also provides a site for initiation of transcription of the gene into mRNA.

As used herein, the term an “enhancer” refers to a DNA sequence which can stimulate promoter activity and may be an innate element of the promoter or a heterologous element inserted to enhance the level or tissue-specificity of a promoter.

The term “expression”, as used herein, refers to the production of a functional end-product e.g., an mRNA or a protein.

The term “gene edited plant” refers to a plant comprising at least one cell comprising at least one gene edited by man. The gene editing includes deletion, insertion, silencing, or repression, such as of the “native genome” of the cell. Methods for creating a gene edited plant include techniques such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFN), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN), and clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas systems.

The term “genetically modified plant” refers to a plant comprising at least one cell genetically modified by man. The genetic modification includes modification of an endogenous gene(s), for example by introducing mutation(s) deletions, insertions, transposable element(s) and the like into an endogenous polynucleotide or gene of interest. Additionally, or alternatively, the genetic modification includes transforming the plant cell with heterologous polynucleotide. A “genetically modified plant” and a “corresponding unmodified plant” as used herein refer to a plant comprising at least one genetically modified cell and to a plant of the same type lacking said modification, respectively.

One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that a genetically modified plant may encompass a plant comprising at least one cell genetically modified by man. In some embodiments, the genetic modification includes modification of an endogenous gene(s), for example by introducing mutation(s) deletions, insertions, transposable element(s) and the like into an endogenous polynucleotide or gene of interest. Additionally, or alternatively, in some embodiments, the genetic modification includes transforming at least one plant cell with a heterologous polynucleotide or multiple heterologous polynucleotides. The skilled artisan would appreciate that a genetically modified plant comprising transforming at least one plant cell with a heterologous polynucleotide or multiple heterologous polynucleotides may in certain embodiments be termed a “transgenic plant”.

A skilled artisan would appreciate that a comparison of a “genetically modified plant” to a “corresponding unmodified plant” as used herein encompasses comparing a plant comprising at least one genetically modified cell and to a plant of the same type lacking the modification.

The skilled artisan would appreciate that the term “transgenic” when used in reference to a plant as disclosed herein encompasses a plant that contains at least one heterologous transcribable polynucleotide in one or more of its cells. The term “transgenic material” encompasses broadly a plant or a part thereof, including at least one cell, multiple cells or tissues that contain at least one heterologous polynucleotide in at least one of cell. Thus, comparison of a “transgenic plant” and a “corresponding non transgenic plant”, or of a “genetically modified plant comprising at least one cell having altered expression, wherein said plant comprising at least one cell comprising a heterologous transcribable polynucleotide” and a “corresponding unmodified plant” encompasses comparison of the “transgenic plant” or “genetically modified plant” to a plant of the same type lacking said heterologous transcribable polynucleotide. A skilled artisan would appreciate that, in some embodiments, a “transcribable polynucleotide” comprises a polynucleotide that can be transcribed into an RNA molecule by an RNA polymerase.

The terms “transformants” or “transformed cells” include the primary transformed cell and cultures derived from that cell without regard to the number of transfers. All progeny may not be precisely identical in DNA content, due to deliberate or inadvertent mutations. Mutant progeny that have the same functionality as screened for in the originally transformed cell are included in the definition of transformants.

Transformation of a cell may be stable or transient. The term “transient transformation” or “transiently transformed” refers to the introduction of one or more exogenous polynucleotides into a cell in the absence of integration of the exogenous polynucleotide into the host cell's genome. In contrast, the term “stable transformation” or “stably transformed” refers to the introduction and integration of one or more exogenous polynucleotides into the genome of a cell. The term “stable transformant” refers to a cell which has stably integrated one or more exogenous polynucleotides into the genomic or organellar DNA. It is to be understood that an organism or its cell transformed with the nucleic acids, constructs and/or vectors of the present invention can be transiently as well as stably transformed.

The skilled artisan would appreciate that the term “construct” may encompass an artificially assembled or isolated nucleic acid molecule which includes the polynucleotide of interest. In general, a construct may include the polynucleotide or polynucleotides of interest, a marker gene which in some cases can also be a gene of interest and appropriate regulatory sequences. It should be appreciated that the inclusion of regulatory sequences in a construct is optional, for example, such sequences may not be required in situations where the regulatory sequences of a host cell are to be used. The term construct includes vectors but should not be seen as being limited thereto.

The skilled artisan would appreciate that the term “expression” may encompass the production of a functional end-product e.g., an mRNA or a protein.

Based on the co-expressed gene array disclosed in the present invention, a pathway from cholesterol to α-tomatine is proposed (FIG. 1). It has been previously described that cholesterol is hydroxylated at C22 by GAME7 (US 2012/0159676) followed by GAME8 hydroxylation at the C26 position. The 22,26-dihydroxycholesterol is than hydroxylated at C16 and oxidized at C22 followed by closure of the E-ring by GAME11 and GAME6 to form the furostanol-type aglycone. This order of reactions is supported by the finding of the present invention showing the accumulation of cholestanol-type saponins, lacking hydroxylation at C16 and the hemi-acetal E-ring when silencing GAME11 (FIGS. 8A-D). The furostanol-intermediate is oxidized by GAME4 to its 26-aldehyde which is the substrate for transamination catalyzed by GAME12. Nucleophilic attack of the amino-nitrogen at C22 leads to the formation of tomatidenol which is dehydrogenated to tomatidine. Tomatidine is subsequently converted by GAME1 to T-Gal (Itkin et al., 2011 supra). T-Gal in its turn is glucosylated by GAME17 into γ-tomatine, which is further glucosylated by GAME18 to β1-tomatine that is finally converted to α-tomatine by GAME2 (FIG. 1).

The present invention now shows that by modifying expression of an enzyme and/or other protein involved in the biosynthetic pathway, the level of steroidal alkaloids, steroidal glycoalkaloids and optionally steroidal saponin can be altered.

Silencing of a single gene co-expressed with the clustered enzyme-encoding gene in potato plant, resulted in significant reduction in the amount of the steroidal glycoalkaloids α-chaconine and α-solanine, while overexpression of this gene resulted in significant increase in the content of these substances (FIGS. 5A-5D and 6). This gene was found to include coding sequence comprising an AP2 domain, and therefore postulated to be a transcription factor, designated herein GAME9-transcription factor, encoded by GAME9.

A genetically modified or gene edited plant comprising at least one cell having altered expression of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a gene encoding GAME9-transcription factor, a gene encoding 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, a gene encoding basic helix-loop-helix (BHLH)-transcription factor or a combination thereof, wherein the genetically modified or gene edited plant has an altered content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to a corresponding unmodified or unedited plant, has been produced. As exemplified herein for 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (GAME11), manipulating the expression of the genes of the present invention can further lead to the manipulation of steroidal saponin synthesis.

Thus, according to additional aspect, the present invention provides a genetically modified or gene edited organism comprising at least one cell having altered expression of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a gene encoding GAME9-transcription factor, a gene encoding 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, a gene encoding basic helix-loop-helix (BHLH)-transcription factor or a combination thereof compared to an unmodified or unedited organism, wherein the genetically modified or gene edited organism has an altered content of at least one compound selected from steroidal saponin, steroidal alkaloid and glycosylated derivatives thereof compared to a corresponding unmodified or unedited organism.

Unexpectedly, the present invention now shows that SGA levels can be severely reduced in potato tubers by modifying expression of an enzyme and/or transcription factors involved in the steroidal alkaloids biosynthetic pathway.

According to certain embodiments, the expression of the at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a gene encoding GAME9-transcription factor, a gene encoding 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, a gene encoding BHLH-transcription factor or the combination thereof in the genetically modified or gene edited plant is inhibited compared to its expression in the corresponding unmodified or unedited plant, thereby the genetically modified or gene edited plant comprises reduced content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to a corresponding unmodified or unedited plant.

According to certain embodiments, the genetically modified or gene edited plant comprises non-toxic amount of steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof. As used herein, the term “non-toxic amount” refers to less than 200 mg of antinutritional steroidal; alkaloids or glycoalkaloids per kilogram fresh weight of an edible plant part. According to certain exemplary embodiments, the genetically modified or gene edited plant comprises non-detectable amount of antinutritional steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof.

Down-regulation or inhibition of the gene expression can be effected on the genomic and/or the transcript level using a variety of molecules that interfere with transcription and/or translation (e.g., antisense, siRNA, Ribozyme, or DNAzyme), or on the protein level using, e.g., antagonists, enzymes that cleave the polypeptide, and the like.

According to certain exemplary embodiments, the genetically modified or gene edited plant is a transgenic plant comprising at least one cell comprising at least one silencing molecule targeted to a gene selected from the group consisting of GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15. Each possibility represents a separate embodiment of the present invention.

According to some embodiments, the organism comprising the silencing molecule has an elevated content of at least one steroidal saponin or a derivative thereof compared to a corresponding non-transgenic plant.

The silencing molecule target to at least one of GAME9, GAME11 and BHLH can be designed as is known to a person skilled in the art. According to certain embodiments, the silencing molecule comprises a polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence substantially complementary to a region of the GAME9 gene, the gene having the nucleic acids sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQ ID NO:6.

According to certain additional embodiments, the silencing molecule comprises a polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence substantially complementary to a region of the GAME11 gene, the gene having the nucleic acids sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:10 and SEQ ID NO:12.

According to certain further embodiments, the silencing molecule comprises a polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence substantially complementary to a region of the BHLH gene, the gene having the nucleic acids sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:15 and SEQ ID NO:17.

According to certain additional embodiments, the silencing molecule comprises a polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence substantially complementary to a region of the GAME15 gene, the gene having the nucleic acids sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, and SEQ ID NO:46.

Antisense Molecules

Antisense technology is the process in which an antisense RNA or DNA molecule interacts with a target sense DNA or RNA strand. A sense strand is a 5′ to 3′ mRNA molecule or DNA molecule. The complementary strand, or mirror strand, to the sense is called an antisense. When an antisense strand interacts with a sense mRNA strand, the double helix is recognized as foreign to the cell and will be degraded, resulting in reduced or absent protein production. Although DNA is already a double stranded molecule, antisense technology can be applied to it, building a triplex formation.

One skilled in the art would appreciate that the terms “complementary” or “complement thereof” are used herein to encompass the sequences of polynucleotides which is capable of forming Watson & Crick base pairing with another specified polynucleotide throughout the entirety of the complementary region. This term is applied to pairs of polynucleotides based solely upon their sequences and not any particular set of conditions under which the two polynucleotides would actually bind.

RNA antisense strands can be either catalytic or non-catalytic. The catalytic antisense strands, also called ribozymes, cleave the RNA molecule at specific sequences. A non-catalytic RNA antisense strand blocks further RNA processing.

Antisense modulation of cells and/or tissue levels of the GAME9, GAME11, and BHLH gene or any combination thereof may be effected by transforming the organism cells or tissues with at least one antisense compound, including antisense DNA, antisense RNA, a ribozyme, DNAzyme, a locked nucleic acid (LNA) and an aptamer. In some embodiments the molecules are chemically modified. In other embodiments the antisense molecule is antisense DNA or an antisense DNA analog.

Antisense modulation of cells and/or tissue levels of the GAME15 gene or any combination thereof may be effected by transforming the organism cells or tissues with at least one antisense compound, including antisense DNA, antisense RNA, a ribozyme, DNAzyme, a locked nucleic acid (LNA), and an aptamer. In some embodiments, the molecules are chemically modified. In other embodiments, the antisense molecule is antisense DNA or an antisense DNA analog.

RNA Interference (RNAi) Molecules

RNAi refers to the introduction of homologous double stranded RNA (dsRNA) to target a specific gene product, resulting in post transcriptional silencing of that gene. This phenomenon was first reported in Caenorhabditis elegans by Guo and Kemphues (1995, Cell, 81(4):611-620) and subsequently Fire et al. (1998, Nature 391:806-811) discovered that it is the presence of dsRNA, formed from the annealing of sense and antisense strands present in the in vitro RNA preps, that is responsible for producing the interfering activity

In both plants and animals, RNAi is mediated by RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), a sequence-specific, multicomponent nuclease that destroys messenger RNAs homologous to the silencing trigger. RISC is known to contain short RNAs (approximately 22 nucleotides) derived from the double-stranded RNA trigger. The short-nucleotide RNA sequences are homologous to the target gene that is being suppressed. Thus, the short-nucleotide sequences appear to serve as guide sequences to instruct a multicomponent nuclease, RISC, to destroy the specific mRNAs.

The dsRNA used to initiate RNAi, may be isolated from native source or produced by known means, e.g., transcribed from DNA. Plasmids and vectors for generating RNAi molecules against target sequence are now readily available from commercial sources.

The dsRNA can be transcribed from the vectors as two separate strands. In other embodiments, the two strands of DNA used to form the dsRNA may belong to the same or two different duplexes in which they each form with a DNA strand of at least partially complementary sequence. When the dsRNA is thus-produced, the DNA sequence to be transcribed is flanked by two promoters, one controlling the transcription of one of the strands, and the other that of the complementary strand. These two promoters may be identical or different. Alternatively, a single promoter can derive the transcription of single-stranded hairpin polynucleotide having self-complementary sense and antisense regions that anneal to produce the dsRNA.

One skilled in the art would appreciate that the terms “promoter element,” “promoter,” or “promoter sequence” may encompass a DNA sequence that is located at the 5′ end (i.e. precedes) the coding region of a DNA polymer. The location of most promoters known in nature precedes the transcribed region. The promoter functions as a switch, activating the expression of a gene. If the gene is activated, it is said to be transcribed, or participating in transcription. Transcription involves the synthesis of mRNA from the gene. The promoter, therefore, serves as a transcriptional regulatory element and also provides a site for initiation of transcription of the gene into mRNA.

Inhibition is sequence-specific in that nucleotide sequences corresponding to the duplex region of the RNA are targeted for genetic inhibition. RNA molecules containing a nucleotide sequence identical to a portion of the target gene are preferred for inhibition. RNA sequences with insertions, deletions, and single point mutations relative to the target sequence have also been found to be effective for inhibition. Thus, sequence identity may be optimized by sequence comparison and alignment algorithms known in the art (see Gribskov and Devereux, Sequence Analysis Primer, Stockton Press, 1991, and references cited therein) and calculating the percent difference between the nucleotide sequences by, for example, the Smith-Waterman algorithm as implemented in the BESTFIT software program using default parameters (e.g., University of Wisconsin Genetic Computing Group). Greater than 90% sequence identity, or even 100% sequence identity, between the inhibitory RNA and the portion of the target gene is preferred. Alternatively, the duplex region of the RNA may be defined functionally as a nucleotide sequence that is capable of hybridizing with a portion of the target gene transcript. The length of the identical nucleotide sequences may be at least 25, 50, 100, 200, 300 or 400 bases. There is no upper limit on the length of the dsRNA that can be used. For example, the dsRNA can range from about 21 base pairs (bp) of the gene to the full length of the gene or more.

The term “RNA interference” or “RNAi” refers to the silencing or decreasing of gene expression mediated by small double stranded RNAs. It is the process of sequence-specific, post-transcriptional gene silencing in animals and plants, initiated by inhibitory RNA (iRNA) that is homologous in its duplex region to the sequence of the silenced gene. The gene may be endogenous or exogenous to the organism, present integrated into a chromosome or present in a transfection vector that is not integrated into the genome. The expression of the gene is either completely or partially inhibited. RNAi may also be considered to inhibit the function of a target RNA; the function of the target RNA may be complete or partial.

One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the term RNAi molecule refers to single- or double-stranded RNA molecules comprising both a sense and antisense sequence. For example, the RNA interference molecule can be a double-stranded polynucleotide molecule comprising self-complementary sense and antisense regions, wherein the antisense region comprises complementarity to a target nucleic acid molecule. Alternatively the RNAi molecule can be a single-stranded hairpin polynucleotide having self-complementary sense and antisense regions, wherein the antisense region comprises complementarity to a target nucleic acid molecule or it can be a circular single-stranded polynucleotide having two or more loop structures and a stem comprising self-complementary sense and antisense regions, wherein the antisense region comprises complementarity to a target nucleic acid molecule, and wherein the circular polynucleotide can be processed either in vivo or in vitro to generate an active molecule capable of mediating RNAi.

The present invention contemplates the use of RNA interference (RNAi) to down regulate the expression of GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15 or a combination thereof to attenuate the level of steroidal alkaloids/glycoalkaloids in plants. In both plants and animals, RNAi is mediated by RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), a sequence-specific, multicomponent nuclease that destroys messenger RNAs homologous to the silencing trigger. RISC is known to contain short RNAs (approximately 22 nucleotides) derived from the double-stranded RNA trigger. The short-nucleotide RNA sequences are homologous to the target gene that is being suppressed. Thus, the short-nucleotide sequences appear to serve as guide sequences to instruct a multicomponent nuclease, RISC, to destroy the specific mRNAs.

The dsRNA used to initiate RNAi, may be isolated from native source or produced by known means, e.g., transcribed from DNA Plasmids and vectors for generating RNAi molecules against target sequence are now readily available as exemplified herein below.

The dsRNA can be transcribed from the vectors as two separate strands. In other embodiments, the two strands of DNA used to form the dsRNA may belong to the same or two different duplexes in which they each form with a DNA strand of at least partially complementary sequence. When the dsRNA is thus-produced, the DNA sequence to be transcribed is flanked by two promoters, one controlling the transcription of one of the strands, and the other that of the complementary strand. These two promoters may be identical or different. Alternatively, a single promoter can derive the transcription of single-stranded hairpin polynucleotide having self-complementary sense and antisense regions that anneal to produce the dsRNA.

Inhibition is sequence-specific in that nucleotide sequences corresponding to the duplex region of the RNA are targeted for genetic inhibition. RNA molecules containing a nucleotide sequence identical to a portion of the target gene are preferred for inhibition. RNA sequences with insertions, deletions, and single point mutations relative to the target sequence have also been found to be effective for inhibition. Thus, sequence identity may optimized by sequence comparison and alignment algorithms known in the art (see Gribskov and Devereux, Sequence Analysis Primer, Stockton Press, 1991, and references cited therein) and calculating the percent difference between the nucleotide sequences by, for example, the Smith-Waterman algorithm as implemented in the BESTFIT software program using default parameters (e.g., University of Wisconsin Genetic Computing Group). Greater than 90% sequence identity, or even 100% sequence identity, between the inhibitory RNA and the portion of the target gene is preferred. Alternatively, the duplex region of the RNA may be defined functionally as a nucleotide sequence that is capable of hybridizing with a portion of the target gene transcript. The length of the identical nucleotide sequences may be at least 25, 50, 100, 200, 300 or 400 bases. There is no upper limit on the length of the dsRNA that can be used. For example, the dsRNA can range from about 21 base pairs (bp) of the gene to the full length of the gene or more.

According to certain currently typical embodiments, the silencing molecule is RNAi targeted to the GAME9 gene, comprising the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18 or a complementary sequence thereof. According to certain currently typical embodiments, the silencing molecule is RNAi targeted to the cellulose synthase like GAME15 gene, comprising the nucleic acid sequence set forth any one of in SEQ ID NOs: 44 to 46 or a complementary sequence thereof.

According to additional typical embodiments, the silencing molecule is RNAi targeted to the GAME11 gene, comprising the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:19 or a complementary sequence thereof.

According to additional typical embodiments, the silencing molecule is RNAi targeted to the GAME15 gene, comprising the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:44 or a complementary sequence thereof; SEQ ID NO:45 or a complementary sequence thereof; and/or SEQ NO:46 or a complementary sequence thereof.

Co-Suppression Molecules

Another agent capable of down-regulating the expression of GAME9 or GAME11, or a combination thereof is a Co-Suppression molecule. Co-suppression is a post-transcriptional mechanism where both the transgene and the endogenous gene are silenced.

Another agent capable of down-regulating the expression of GAME15 is a Co-Suppression molecule. Co-suppression is a post-transcriptional mechanism where both the transgene and the endogenous gene are silenced.

DNAzyme Molecules

Another agent capable of down-regulating the expression of GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15 is a DNAzyme molecule, which is capable of specifically cleaving an mRNA transcript or a DNA sequence of the GAME9, GAME 11, BHLH, or GAME15. DNAzymes are single-stranded polynucleotides that are capable of cleaving both single- and double-stranded target sequences. A general model (the “10-23” model) for the DNAzyme has been proposed. “10-23” DNAzymes have a catalytic domain of 15 deoxyribonucleotides, flanked by two substrate-recognition domains of seven to nine deoxyribonucleotides each. This type of DNAzyme can effectively cleave its substrate RNA at purine:pyrimidine junctions (for review of DNAzymes, see: Khachigian, L. M. (2002) Curr Opin Mol Ther 4, 119-121).

Examples of construction and amplification of synthetic, engineered DNAzymes recognizing single- and double-stranded target cleavage sites are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,174.

Enzymatic Oligonucleotide

The terms “enzymatic nucleic acid molecule” or “enzymatic oligonucleotide” refers to a nucleic acid molecule which has complementarity in a substrate binding region to a specified gene target, and also has an enzymatic activity which is active to specifically cleave target RNA of GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15, thereby silencing each of the genes. The complementary regions allow sufficient hybridization of the enzymatic nucleic acid molecule to the target RNA and subsequent cleavage. The term enzymatic nucleic acid is used interchangeably with for example, ribozymes, catalytic RNA, enzymatic RNA, catalytic DNA, aptazyme or aptamer-binding ribozyme, catalytic oligonucleotide, nucleozyme, DNAzyme, RNAenzyme. The specific enzymatic nucleic acid molecules described in the instant application are not limiting and an enzymatic nucleic acid molecule of this invention requires a specific substrate binding site which is complementary to one or more of the target nucleic acid regions, and that it have nucleotide sequences within or surrounding that substrate binding site which impart a nucleic acid cleaving and/or ligation activity to the molecule. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,071 discloses examples of such molecules.

Mutagenesis

Altering the expression of endogenous GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15 genes can be also achieved by the introduction of one or more point mutations into a nucleic acid molecule encoding the corresponding proteins. Mutations can be introduced using, for example, site-directed mutagenesis (see, e.g. Wu Ed., 1993 Meth. In Enzymol. Vol 217, San Diego: Academic Press; Higuchi, “Recombinant PCR” in Innis et al. Eds., 1990 PCR Protocols, San Diego: Academic Press, Inc). Such mutagenesis can be used to introduce a specific, desired amino acid insertion, deletion or substitution. Several technologies for targeted mutagenesis are based on the targeted induction of double-strand breaks (DSBs) in the genome followed by error-prone DNA repair. Mostly commonly used for genome editing by these methods are custom designed nucleases, including zinc finger nucleases and Xanthomonas-derived transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) enzymes.

In some embodiments, when the expression of the at least one gene or combination thereof is altered, said altering comprises mutagenizing the at least one gene, said mutation present within a coding region of said at least one gene, or a regulatory sequence of said at least one gene, or a combination thereof.

Various types of mutagenesis can be used to modify GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15 and their encoded polypeptides in order to produce conservative or non-conservative variants. Any available mutagenesis procedure can be used. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises site-directed point mutagenesis. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises random point mutagenesis. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises in vitro or in vivo homologous recombination (DNA shuffling). In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises mutagenesis using uracil-containing templates. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises phosphorothioate-modified DNA mutagenesis. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises mutagenesis using gapped duplex DNA. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises point mismatch repair. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises mutagenesis using repair-deficient host strains. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises restriction-selection and restriction-purification. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises deletion mutagenesis. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises mutagenesis by total gene synthesis. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises double-strand break repair. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises mutagenesis by chimeric constructs. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises mutagenesis by CRISPR/Cas. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises mutagenesis by zinc-finger nucleases (ZFN). In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises mutagenesis by transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN). In some embodiments, the mutagenesis procedure comprises any other mutagenesis procedure known to a person skilled in the art.

In some embodiments, mutagenesis can be guided by known information about the naturally occurring molecule and/or the mutated molecule. By way of example, this known information may include sequence, sequence comparisons, physical properties, crystal structure and the like. In some embodiments, the mutagenesis is essentially random. In some embodiments the mutagenesis procedure is DNA shuffling.

A skilled artisan would appreciate that clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR associated protein (Cas) system comprises genome engineering tools based on the bacterial CRISPR/Cas prokaryotic adaptive immune system. This RNA-based technology is very specific and allows targeted cleavage of genomic DNA guided by a customizable small noncoding RNA, resulting in gene modifications by both non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homology-directed repair (HDR) mechanisms (Belhaj K. et al., 2013. Plant Methods 2013, 9:39). In some embodiments, a CRISPR/Cas system comprises a CRISPR/Cas9 system.

In some embodiments, a CRISPR/Cas system comprises a single-guide RNA (sgRNA) and/or a Cas protein known in the art. In some embodiments, a CRISPR/Cas system comprises a single-guide RNA (sgRNA) and/or a Cas protein newly created to cleave at a preselected site. The skilled artisan would appreciate that the terms “single-guide RNA”, “sgRNA”, and “gRNA” are interchangeable having all the same qualities and meanings, wherein an sgRNA may encompass a chimeric RNA molecule which is composed of a CRISPR RNA (crRNA) and trans-encoded CRISPR. RNA (tracrRNA). In some embodiments, a crRNA is complementary to a preselected region of GAME15 DNA, wherein the crRNA “targets” the CRISPR associated polypeptide (Cas) nuclease protein to the preselected target site.

In some embodiments, the length of crRNA sequence complementary is 19-22 nucleotides long e.g., 19-22 consecutive nucleotides complementary to the target site. In another embodiment, the length of crRNA sequence complementary to the region of DNA is about 15-30 nucleotides long. In another embodiment, the length of crRNA sequence complementary to the region of DNA is about 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30 nucleotides long. In another embodiment, the length of crRNA sequence complementary to the region of DNA is 20 nucleotides long. In some embodiments, the crRNA is located at the 5′ end of the sgRNA molecule. In another embodiment, the crRNA comprises 100% complementation within the preselected target sequence. In another embodiment, the crRNA comprises at least 80% complementation within the preselected target sequence. In another embodiment, the crRNA comprises at least 85% complementation within the preselected target sequence. In another embodiment, the crRNA comprises at least 90% complementation within the preselected target sequence. In another embodiment, the crRNA comprises at least 95% complementation within the preselected target sequence. In another embodiment, the crRNA comprises at least 97% complementation within the preselected target sequence. In another embodiment, the crRNA comprises at least 99% complementation within the preselected target sequence. In another embodiment, a tracrRNA is 100-300 nucleotides long and provides a binding site for the Cas nuclease, e.g., a Cas9 protein forming the CRISPR/Cas9 complex.

In one embodiment, a mutagenesis system comprises a CRISPR/Cas system. In another embodiment, a CRISPR/Cas system comprises a Cas nuclease and a gRNA molecule, wherein said gRNA molecule binds within said preselected endogenous target site thereby guiding said Cas nuclease to cleave the DNA within said preselected endogenous target site.

In some embodiments, a CRISPR/Cas system comprise an enzyme system including a guide RNA sequence (“gRNA” or “sgRNA”) that contains a nucleotide sequence complementary or substantially complementary to a region of a target polynucleotide, for example a preselected endogenous target site, and a protein with nuclease activity.

In another embodiment, a CRISPR/Cas system comprises a Type I CRISPR-Cas system, or a Type II CRISPR-Cas system, or a Type III CRISPR-Cas system, or derivatives thereof. In another embodiment, a CRISPR-Cas system comprises an engineered and/or programmed nuclease system derived from naturally accruing CRISPR-Cas systems. In another embodiment, a CRISPR-Cas system comprises engineered and/or mutated Cas proteins. In another embodiment, a CRISPR-Cas system comprises engineered and/or programmed guide RNA.

A skilled artisan would appreciate that a guide RNA may contain nucleotide sequences other than the region complementary or substantially complementary to a region of a target DNA sequence, for example a preselected endogenous target site. In another embodiment, a guide RNA comprises a crRNA or a derivative thereof. In another embodiment, a guide RNA comprises a crRNA: tracrRNA chimera.

In another embodiment, a gRNA molecule comprises a domain that is complementary to and binds to a preselected endogenous target site on at least one homologous chromosome. In another embodiment, a gRNA molecule comprises a domain that is complementary to and binds to a polymorphic allele on at least one homologous chromosome. In another embodiment, a gRNA molecule comprises a domain that is complementary to and binds to a preselected endogenous target site on both homologous chromosomes. In another embodiment, a gRNA molecule comprises a domain that is complementary to and binds to polymorphic alleles on both homologous chromosomes.

Cas enzymes comprise RNA-guided DNA endonuclease able to make double-stranded breaks (DSB) in DNA. The term “Cas enzyme” may be used interchangeably with the terms “CRISPR-associated endonucleases” or “CRISPR-associated polypeptides” having all the same qualities and meanings. In one embodiment, a Cas enzyme is selected from the group comprising Cas1, Cas1B, Cas2, Cas3, Cas4, Cas5, Cas6, Cas7, Cas8, Cas9, Cas10, C2cl, CasX, NgAgo, Cpf1, Csy1, Csy2, Csy3, Cse1, Cse2, Csc1, Csc2, Csa5, Csn2, Csm2, Csm3, Csm4, Csm5, Csm6, Cmr1, Cmr3, Cmr4, Cmr5, Cmr6, Csb1, Csb2, Csb3, Csx17, Csx14, Csx10, Csx16, CsaX, Csx3, Csx1, Csx15, Csf1, Csf2, Csf3, and Csf4, or homologs thereof, or modified versions thereof. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas9. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas1. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas1B. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas2. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas3. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas4. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas5. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas6. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas7. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas8. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cas10. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cpf1. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csy1. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csy2. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csy3. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cse1 another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cse2. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csc1. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csc2. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csa5. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csn2. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csm2. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csm3. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csm4. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csm5. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csm6. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cmr1. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cmr3. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cmr4. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cmr5. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cmr6. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csb1. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csb2, In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csb3. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csx17. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csx14. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csx10. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csx16, CsaX. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csx3, In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csx1, Csx15, Csf1. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csf2. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csf3. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Csf4. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises Cpf1. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises C2cl. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises CasX. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme comprises NgAgo. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme is Cas homologue. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme is a Cas orthologue. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme is a modified Cas enzyme. In another embodiment, a Cas enzyme is any CRISPR-associated endonucleases known in the art.

A skilled artisan would appreciate that the terms “zinc finger nuclease” or “ZFN” are interchangeable having all the same meanings and qualities, wherein a ZFN encompasses a chimeric protein molecule comprising at least one zinc finger DNA binding domain operatively linked to at least one nuclease capable of double-strand cleaving of DNA. In some embodiments, a ZFN system comprises a ZFN known in the art. In some embodiments, a ZFN system comprises a ZFN newly created to cleave a preselected site.

In some embodiments, a ZFN creates a double-stranded break at a preselected endogenous target site. In some embodiments, a ZFN comprises a DNA-binding domain and a DNA-cleavage domain, wherein the DNA binding domain is comprised of at least one zinc finger and is operatively linked to a DNA-cleavage domain. In another embodiment, a zinc finger DNA-binding domain is at the N-terminus of the chimeric protein molecule and the DNA-cleavage domain is located at the C-terminus of the molecule. In another embodiment, a zinc finger DNA-binding domain is at the C-terminus of the chimeric protein molecule and the DNA-cleavage domain is located at the N-terminus of the molecule. In another embodiment, a zinc finger binding domain encompasses the region in a zinc finger nuclease that is capable of binding to a target locus, for example a preselected endogenous target site as disclosed herein. In another embodiment, a zinc finger DNA-binding domain comprises a protein domain that binds to a preselected endogenous target site on at least one homologous chromosome. In another embodiment, a zinc finger DNA-binding domain comprises a protein domain that binds to a polymorphic allele on at least one homologous chromosome. In another embodiment, a zinc finger DNA-binding domain comprises a protein domain that binds to a preselected endogenous target site on both homologous chromosomes. In another embodiment, a zinc finger DNA-binding domain comprises a protein domain that binds to polymorphic alleles on both homologous chromosomes.

The skilled artisan would appreciate that the term “chimeric protein” is used to describe a protein that has been expressed from a DNA molecule that has been created by operatively joining two or more DNA fragments. The DNA fragments may be from the same species, or they may be from a different species. The DNA fragments may be from the same or a different gene. The skilled artisan would appreciate that the term “DNA cleavage domain” of a ZFN encompasses the region in the zinc finger nuclease that is capable of breaking down the chemical bonds between nucleic acids in a nucleotide chain. Examples of proteins containing cleavage domains include restriction enzymes, topoisomerases, recombinases, integrases and DNAses.

In some embodiments, a TALEN system comprises a TAL effector DNA binding domain and a DNA cleavage domain, wherein said TAL effector DNA binding domain binds within said preselected endogenous target site, thereby targeting the DNA cleavage domain to cleave the DNA within said preselected endogenous target site.

A skilled artisan would appreciate that the terms “transcription activator-like effector nuclease”, “TALEN”, and “TAL effector nuclease” may be used interchangeably having all the same meanings and qualities, wherein a TALEN encompasses a nuclease capable of recognizing and cleaving its target site, for example a preselected endogenous target site as disclosed herein. In another embodiment, a TALEN comprises a fusion protein comprising a TALE domain and a nucleotide cleavage domain. In another embodiment, a TALE domain comprises a protein domain that binds to a nucleotide in a sequence-specific manner through one or more TALE-repeat modules. A skilled artisan would recognize that TALE-repeat modules comprise a variable number of about 34 amino acid repeats that recognize plant DNA sequences. Further, repeat modules can be rearranged according to a simple cipher to target new DNA sequences. In another embodiment, a TALE domain comprises a protein domain that binds to a preselected endogenous target site on at least one homologous chromosome. In another embodiment, a TALE domain comprises a protein domain that binds to a polymorphic allele on at least one homologous chromosome. In another embodiment, a TALE domain comprises a protein domain that binds to a preselected endogenous target site on both homologous chromosomes. In another embodiment, a TALE domain comprises a protein domain that binds to polymorphic alleles on both homologous chromosomes.

In one embodiment, a TALE domain comprises at least one of the TALE-repeat modules. In another embodiment, a TALE domain comprises from one to thirty TALE-repeat modules. In another embodiment, a TALE domain comprises more than thirty repeat modules. In another embodiment, a TALEN fusion protein comprises an N-terminal domain, one or more of TALE-repeat modules followed by a half-repeat module, a linker, and a nucleotide cleavage domain.

Chemical mutagenesis using an agent such as Ethyl Methyl Sulfonate (EMS) can be employed to obtain a population of point mutations and screen for mutants of the GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15 genes that may become silent or down-regulated. In plants, methods relaying on introgression of genes from natural populations can be used. Cultured and wild types species are crossed repetitively such that a plant comprising a given segment of the wild genome is isolated. Certain plant species, for example, maize (corn) and snapdragon, have natural transposons. These transposons are either autonomous, i.e. the transposase is located within the transposon sequence or non-autonomous, without a transposase. A skilled person can cause transposons to “jump” and create mutations. Alternatively, a nucleic acid sequence can be synthesized having random nucleotides at one or more predetermined positions to generate random amino acid substituting.

In some embodiments, the expression of endogenous GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15 genes can be altered by the introduction of one or more point mutations into their regulatory sequences. In some embodiments, the expression of exogenous GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15 genes can be altered by the introduction of one or more point mutations into their regulatory sequences. A skilled artisan would appreciate that “regulatory sequences” refers to nucleotide sequences located upstream (5′ non-coding sequences), within, or downstream (3′ non-coding sequences) of a coding sequence, and which influence the transcription, RNA processing or stability, or translation of the associated coding sequence. In some embodiments, regulatory sequences comprise promoters. In some embodiments, regulatory sequences comprise translation leader sequences. In some embodiments, regulatory sequences comprise introns. In some embodiments, regulatory sequences comprise polyadenylation recognition sequences. In some embodiments, regulatory sequences comprise RNA processing sites. In some embodiments, regulatory sequences comprise effector binding sites. In some embodiments, regulatory sequences comprise stem-loop structures.

A skilled artisan would appreciate that “promoter” refers to a DNA sequence capable of controlling the expression of a coding sequence or functional RNA. In some embodiments, a coding sequence is located 3′ to a promoter sequence. It is understood by those skilled in the art that different promoters may direct the expression of a gene in different tissues or cell types, or at different stages of development, or in response to different environmental or physiological conditions. In some embodiments, the promoter comprises a constitutive promoter, i.e., a promoter that causes a gene to be expressed in most cell types at most times. In some embodiments, the promoter comprises a regulated promoter, i.e., a promoter that causes a gene to be expressed in response to sporadic specific stimuli. It is further recognized that in many cases the exact boundaries of regulatory sequences have not been completely defined yet.

A skilled artisan would appreciate that the term “3′ non-coding sequences” or “transcription terminator” refers to DNA sequences located downstream of a coding sequence. In some embodiments, 3′ non-coding sequences comprise polyadenylation recognition sequences. In some embodiments, 3′ non-coding sequences comprise sequences encoding regulatory signals capable of affecting mRNA processing. In some embodiments, 3′ non-coding sequences comprise sequences encoding regulatory signals capable of affecting gene expression. The polyadenylation signal is usually characterized by affecting the addition of polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3′ end of the mRNA precursor. In some embodiments, mutations in the 3′ non-coding sequences affect gene transcription. In some embodiments, mutations in the 3′ non-coding sequences affect RNA processing. In some embodiments, mutations in the 3′ non-coding sequences affect gene stability. In some embodiments, mutations in the 3′ non-coding sequences affect translation of the associated coding sequence.

Biological Activity

In some embodiments, the biological activity of GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, GAME15 is altered compared with a control GAME9 enzyme, a control GAME11 enzyme, a control BHLH enzyme, or a control GAME15 protein.

A skilled artisan would recognize that the term “biological activity” refers to any activity associated with a protein that can be measured by an assay. In some embodiments, the biological activity of GAME15 comprises biosynthesis of steroidal alkaloids and glycosylated derivatives thereof. In some embodiments, the biological activity of GAME15 affect the levels of steroidal alkaloids in at least a part of a plant. In some embodiments, an altered biological activity comprises increased enzyme activity. In some embodiments, an altered biological activity comprises decreased enzyme activity. In some embodiments, an altered biological activity comprises increased stability of the polypeptide. In some embodiments, an altered biological activity comprises decreased stability of the polypeptide.

In some embodiments, the altered biological activity comprises

-   -   increased enzyme activity of said cellulose synthase like gene         enzyme (GAME15); or     -   increased stability of said cellulose synthase like gene enzyme         (GAME15); or     -   decreased enzyme activity of said cellulose synthase like gene         enzyme (GAME15); or     -   decreased stability of said cellulose synthase like gene enzyme         (GAME15);         compared to the biological activity in an unmodified or unedited         plant.

In some embodiments, the biological activity of a GAME15 enzyme is increased compared with a control GAME15 enzyme. In some embodiments, the biological activity of a GAME15 enzyme is decreased compared with a control GAME15 enzyme. In some embodiments, a GAME15 enzyme has increased stability compared with a control GAME15 enzyme. In some embodiments, a GAME15 enzyme has decreased stability compared with a control GAME15 enzyme.

Overexpression

According to yet additional embodiments the present invention provides a genetically modified or gene edited plant having enhanced expression of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a gene encoding GAME9-transcription factor, a gene encoding 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, a gene encoding basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor (BHLH), a gene encoding GAME15, or a combination thereof, wherein the genetically modified or gene edited plant has an increased amount of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof compared to a corresponding unmodified or unedited plant. In plants, steroidal alkaloids play a role in protecting the plant from various pathogens. Steroidal alkaloids are referred to as phytoanticipins, i.e. low molecular weight anti-microbial compounds that are present in the plant before challenge by microorganisms or produced after infection solely from preexisting constituents. Over-expression of GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, GAME15, or any combination thereof in non-edible parts of the plant can thus enhance the plant resistance to steroidal-alkaloid-sensitive pathogens.

Transgenic Plants

Cloning of a polynucleotide encoding a protein of the present invention selected from the group consisting of GAME9-transcription factor, 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, BHLH transcription factor, GAME15 or a molecule that silences a gene encoding same can be performed by any method as is known to a person skilled in the art. Cloning of a polynucleotide encoding a GAME15 protein of the present invention or a molecule that silences a gene encoding same can be performed by any method as is known to a person skilled in the art. Various DNA constructs may be used to express the desired gene or silencing molecule targeted to the gene in a desired organism.

According to certain embodiments, the gene or a silencing molecule targeted thereto form part of an expression vector comprising all necessary elements for expression of the gene or its silencing molecule. According to certain embodiments, the expression is controlled by a constitutive promoter. According to certain embodiments, the constitutive promoter is specific to a plant tissue. According to these embodiments, the tissue specific promoter is selected from the group consisting of root, tuber, leaves and fruit specific promoter. Root specific promoters are described, e.g. in Martinez, E. et al, 2003. Curr. Biol. 13:1435-1441. Fruit specific promoters are described among others in Estornell L. H et al. 2009. Plant Biotechnol. J. 7:298-309 and Fernandez A. I. Et al. 2009 Plant Physiol. 151:1729-1740. Tuber specific promoters are described, e.g. in Rocha-Sosa M, et al., 1989. EMBO J. 8:23-29; McKibbin R. S. et al., 2006. Plant Biotechnol J. 4(4409-18. Leaf specific promoters are described, e.g. in Yutao Yang, Guodong Yang, Shijuan Liu, Xingqi Guo and Chengchao Zheng. Science in China Series C: Life Sciences. 46: 651-660.

According to certain embodiments, the expression vector further comprises regulatory elements at the 3′ non-coding sequence. As used herein, the “3′ non-coding sequences” refer to DNA sequences located downstream of a coding sequence and include polyadenylation recognition sequences and other sequences encoding regulatory signals capable of affecting mRNA processing or gene expression. The polyadenylation signal is usually characterized by affecting the addition of polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3′ end of the mRNA precursor. The use of different 3′ non-coding sequences is exemplified by Ingelbrecht I L et al. (1989. Plant Cell 1:671-680).

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various components of the nucleic acid sequences and the transformation vectors described in the present invention are operatively linked, so as to result in expression of said nucleic acid or nucleic acid fragment. Techniques for operatively linking the components of the constructs and vectors of the present invention are well known to those skilled in the art. Such techniques include the use of linkers, such as synthetic linkers, for example including one or more restriction enzyme sites.

One skilled in the art would appreciate that the term “operably linked” may encompass the association of nucleic acid sequences on a single nucleic acid fragment so that the function of one is regulated by the other. For example, a promoter is operably linked with a coding sequence when it is capable of regulating the expression of that coding sequence (i.e., that the coding sequence is under the transcriptional control of the promoter). Coding sequences can be operably linked to regulatory sequences in a sense or antisense orientation.

Methods for transforming a plant according to the teachings of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art. As used herein the term “transformation” or “transforming” describes a process by which a foreign DNA, such as a DNA construct, including expression vector, enters and changes a recipient cell into a transformed, genetically altered or transgenic cell. Transformation may be stable, wherein the nucleic acid sequence is integrated into the organism genome and as such represents a stable and inherited trait, or transient, wherein the nucleic acid sequence is expressed by the cell transformed but is not integrated into the genome, and as such represents a transient trait. According to preferred embodiments the nucleic acid sequence of the present invention is stably transformed into the plant cell.

The genetically altered plants having altered content of the desired steroidal alkaloid(s) or steroidal saponin(s) according to the teachings of the present invention are typically first selected based on the expression of the gene or protein. Plants having enhanced or aberrant expression of the gene or protein, are then analyzed for the content of steroidal alkaloids and optionally of steroidal saponins.

Detection of mutated GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15 gene and/or the presence of silencing molecule targeted to the gene and/or over-expression of the genes is performed employing standard methods of molecular genetics, known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

For measuring the gene(s) or silencing molecule(s) expression, cDNA or mRNA should be obtained from an organ in which the nucleic acid is expressed. The sample may be further processed before the detecting step. For example, the polynucleotides in the cell or tissue sample may be separated from other components of the sample, may be amplified, etc. All samples obtained from an organism, including those subjected to any sort of further processing are considered to be obtained from the organism.

Detection of the gene(s) or the silencing molecule(s) typically requires amplification of the polynucleotides taken from the candidate altered organism. Methods for DNA amplification are known to a person skilled in the art. Most commonly used method for DNA amplification is PCR (polymerase chain reaction; see, for example, PCR Basics: from background to Bench, Springer Verlag, 2000; Eckert et al., 1991. PCR Methods and Applications 1:17). Additional suitable amplification methods include the ligase chain reaction (LCR), transcription amplification and self-sustained sequence replication, and nucleic acid-based sequence amplification (NASBA).

According to certain embodiments, the nucleic acid sequence comprising the GAME9, GAME11, BHLH, or GAME15 gene or its silencing molecule further comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding a selectable marker. According to certain embodiments, the selectable marker confers resistance to antibiotic or to an herbicide; in these embodiments the transgenic plants are selected according to their resistance to the antibiotic or herbicide.

Breeding

In some embodiments, transformation techniques including breeding through transgene editing, use of transgenes, use of transient expression of a gene or genes, or use of molecular markers, or any combination thereof, may be used in the breeding of a plant having an altered expression. If transformation techniques require use of tissue culture, transformed cells may be regenerated into plants in accordance with techniques well known to those of skill in the art. The regenerated plants may then be grown and crossed with the same or different plant varieties using traditional breeding techniques to produce seed, which are then selected under the appropriate conditions.

The content of steroidal alkaloids and/or steroidal saponins is measured as exemplified hereinbelow and as is known to a person skilled in the art.

In some embodiments, an offspring plant comprises decreased anti-nutritional contents or decreased toxins compared to at least one of the progenitor plants. In some embodiments, an offspring plant comprises improved resistance to a plant pathogen, pest, or predator compared to at least one of the progenitor plants.

In one embodiment, a plant as disclosed herein comprises a Solanaceae crop plant. In some embodiments, a Solanaceae crop plant is selected from the group consisting of Solanum lycopersicum, Solanum pennellii, Solanum tuberosum, Solanum chacoense, Capsicum annuum, and Solanum melongena. In some embodiments, a Solanaceae plant is selected from the group consisting of ground cherry, eggplant, potato, tomato, pepper, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, pimiento, tabasco pepper, tobacco, and bittersweet. In some embodiments, a Solanaceae plant comprises any Solanaceae plant that produces a steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof, or an unsaturated or saturated steroidal saponin or a glycoside derivative thereof, or any combination thereof.

A skilled artisan would appreciate that plant breeding can be accomplished through many different techniques ranging from simply selecting plants with desirable characteristics for propagation, to methods that make use of knowledge of genetics and chromosomes, to more complex molecular techniques.

A skilled artisan would appreciate that the term “hybrid plant” may encompass a plant generated by crossing two plants of interest, propagating by seed or tissue and then growing the plants. When plants are crossed sexually, the step of pollination may include cross pollination or self-pollination or back crossing with an untransformed plant or another transformed plant. Hybrid plants include first generation and later generation plants. Disclosed herein is a method to manipulate and improve a plant trait, for a non-limiting example—increasing plant resistance, decreasing anti-nutritional properties in a plant, or decreasing toxins in a plant, or any combination thereof.

Biomarkers

A skilled artisan would appreciate that the term “biomarker” comprises any measurable substance in an organism whose presence is indicative of a biological state or a condition of interest. In some embodiments, the presence of a biomarker is indicative of the presence of a compound or a group of compounds of interest. In some embodiments, the concentration of a biomarker is indicative of the concentration of a compound or a group of compounds of interest. In some embodiments, the concentration of a biomarker is indicative of an organism phenotype.

Cellulose synthase like enzymes are hereby disclosed to have an essential role in the biosynthesis of steroidal alkaloids found in Solanaceae plants. Thus, in some embodiments, the expression level of GAME15 is indicative of the capacity of a plant to produce steroidal alkaloids or glycosylated derivatives thereof, as well as α-tomatine and dehydrotomatine (e.g., in Solanum lycopersicum or tomato), α-chaconine and α-solanine (e.g., in Solanum tuberosum or potato), or α-solamargine and α-solasonine (e.g., in Solanum melongena or eggplant).

Further, one skilled in the art would appreciate that the term “comprising” used throughout is intended to mean that the genetically modified or gene edited plants disclosed herein, and methods of altering expression of genes, and altering production of SA and/or SGA within these genetically modified or gene edited plants includes the recited elements, but not excluding others which may be optional. “Consisting of” shall thus mean excluding more than traces of other elements. The skilled artisan would appreciate that while, in some embodiments the term “comprising” is used, such a term may be replaced by the term “consisting of”, wherein such a replacement would narrow the scope of inclusion of elements not specifically recited.

The following examples are presented in order to more fully illustrate some embodiments of the invention. They should, in no way be construed, however, as limiting the broad scope of the invention. One skilled in the art can readily devise many variations and modifications of the principles disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention.

EXAMPLES

Materials and Methods

Plant Material, Treatments and Generation of Transgenic Plants

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum; cv. Micro Tom) and potato (Solanum liberosum; cultivar Desiree) plants were collected as described previously (Itkin et al., 2001, supra). In potato, when the green parts started to dry, mature tubers (Stage 3) were collected, washed of soil, dried and kept at 4° C., at complete darkness.

The GAME9-silenced (RNAi) and overexpression (OX) constructs were created by introducing the corresponding GAME9 DNA fragments to pK7GWIWG2(11) and pJCV52 binary vectors, respectively. Transgenic lines for silencing and overexpression of GAME9 in tomato and potato were generated and tissue extracts were prepared and analyzed according to Itkin et al. (2011, supra)

Table 1 below describes the oligonucleotides used for generation of the constructs described herein. The GAME4-silencing (RNAi; GAME4i), GAME4 overexpressing (GAME4oe) and GAME8-silencing constructs were generated as described previously (Itkin et al., 2001, supra; WO 2012/095843).

TABLE 1 Oligonucleotides used for construct production SEQ Name Sequence 5′ to 3′/Description ID NO. S107g043420 AAAAAgaattcCGGATCTTCTCTCGAACTGGTCAA 20 EcoRI Fw To prepare GAME11 virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) construct S107g043420 AAAAAgaattcCACTTTCATTGCTTCATCCATTAGATCT 21 EcoRI Rv To prepare GAME11 VIGS construct S107g043500 AAAAAgaattcCTTAGCTTATGGCCACATCACACCTT 22 EcoRI Fw To prepare GAME18 VIGS construct S107g043500 AAAAAgaattcACTCAAGATTTGGTGAAGCTGTGGTT 23 EcoRI Rv To prepare GAME18 VIGS construct GS-Forward AAAAAGGCGCGCCAATCATAGAGAAGAAAGAAGACG 24 (Asa.) To constnict RNAi of GAME8 G8-Reverse (Not AAAAAGCGGCCGCACTCCTGCAGGAATTGTCATTTCTC 25 I) To construct RNAi of GAME8 GAME9 RNAi aaaaaGCGGCCGCATGAGTATTGTAATTGATGATGATGAA 26 NotI Fw ATC To construct RNAi of GAME9 GAME9 RNAi aaaaGGCGCGCCCACACGCCACAGATGGTTCTT 27 AscI Rv To construct RNAi of GAME9 GAME9-Tom GGGGACAAGTTTGTACAAAAAAGCAGGCTATGAGTATT 28 GW Fw GTAATTGATGATGATGAAATC To pick up the gene from cDNA for overexpression (good for tomato) GAME9-Tom GGGGACCACTTTGTACAAGAAAGCTGGGTTCATACTAC 29 GW Rv CTTCTGTCCTAAGCCT To pick up the gene from cDNA for overexpression (good for tomato) GAME9-Pot GW GGGGACAAGTTTGTACAAAAAAGCAGGCTATGAATATT 30 Fw GCAATTGATGATGATGA To pick up the gene from cDNA for overexpression (good for potato) GAME9-Pot GW GGGGACCACTTTGTACAAGAAAGCTGGGTTCATTTGTAT 31 Rv CAACATTTGTAAATTCACAC To pick up the gene from cDNA for overexpression (good for potato) Co-Expression Analysis

The tomato GAME1 (Solyc07g043490) and its potato ortholog SGT1 (PGSC003DMG400011749) were used as ‘baits’ in the co-expression analysis, resulting in lists (sorted in descending order by r-value≥0.8) of co-expressed genes (for each ‘bait’ separately). Two homologous genes were subsequently identified (Solyc12g006460 and PGSC0003DMG400024274 in tomato and potato, respectively), which were highly correlated with the “bait” genes (r-value>0.9 in both species). Those genes were identified as GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM 4 (GAME4, WO 2012/095843). The GAME4 genes were further added as ‘baits’ to the previous (GAME1) co-expression analysis. The co-expression lists for GAME1 (SGT1) and GAME4 in both species were used to construct co-expression correlation network. The analysis was performed as follows: tomato RNAseq transcriptome data from different tissues and organs (flesh, peel, seeds, roots, leaves, buds, flowers, pollen) and developmental stages (25 experiments in total) (Itkin et al., 2011, ibid) and potato RNAseq transcriptome data from different tissues and organs (40 experiments in total) (US 2012/0159676), were used. First, an R script was used to perform co-expression analysis (for each species) and the list of co-expressed genes was constructed as a FASTA file, using a Perl script. Finally, BLASTa11 tools (Camacho C. et al., 2009. BMC Bioinform 10:421) were used to find shared homologs between the two species. The tblastx criteria for homolog similarity were set to p-value>0.05, minimum 25 nucleotides, and at least 60 percent similarity as an overall identity for each gene. The co-expression network was visualized with the Cytoscape program (Shannon P. et al., 2003. Genome Res. 13:2498-2504).

Phylogenetic Analysis

The protein sequences were aligned using the Muscle algorithm and the phylogenetic tree was analyzed and visualized by the SeaView v4.3.5 program using the maximum likelihood method by PhyML 3.0 (Expósito-Rodriguez M et al., 2008. BMC Plant Biol. 8:131) with the following settings: model—LG; The approximate likelihood ratio test (aLRT) Shimodaira-Hasegawa-like (SH-like) procedure was used as a statistical test to calculate branch support (branch support—aLRT (SH-like)); invariable sites—optimized; across site rate variation—optimized; tree searching operations—best for NNI & SPR; starting tree—BioNJ, optimize tree topology. The numbers on the branches indicate the fraction of bootstrap iterations supporting each node. The accession numbers of the proteins used for the preparation of this tree and the organism names are listed in Table 2 hereinbelow; the tree is presented in FIG. 12.

TABLE 2 Accession numbers of the sequences used for the construction of the phylogenetic tree Name as appears in FIG. 12 Latin and common name Accession number GuCYP88D6 Glycyrrhiza uralensis BAG68929.1 LjCYP88D4 Lotus japonicus BAG68927.1 MtCYP88D3 Medicago truncatula BAG68926.1 CmCYP88A2 Cucurbita maxima AF212991 AtCYP88A3 Arabidopsis thaliana AAB71462.1 PsCYP88A7 Pisum sativum AAO23064.1 ZmCYP88A1 Zea mays NP_001105586.1 GmCYP88A26 Glycine max XP_003516638.1 CaCYP89A35 Capsicum annuum DQ114394 GmCYP89A36 Glycine max DQ340245 ZmCYP89B17 Zea mays CO465851.1 TmCYP89J1 Triticum monococcum AY914081 SlCYP88B1 (GAME4) Solanum lycopersicum Solyc12g006460.1.1 SpimpCYP88B1 (GAME4) Solanum pimpinellifolium contig 6356779 SpCYP88B1 (GAME4) Solanum pinelii AW618484.1, BG135958.1 StCYP88B2 (GAME4) Solanum tuberosum group Phureja PGSC0003DMP400041994 StCYP88B1v2 (GAME4) Solanum tuberosum group Tuberosum PGSC0003DMP400041994 SlCYP88C2 Solanum lycopersicum Solyc10g007860.2.1 SmCYP88B3 (GAME4) Solanum melongena FS071104, FS071103 OsCYP90A3 Oryza sativa AC123526.1 SlCYP90A5 Solanum lycopersicum Solyc06g051750.2.1 ScCYP90A8 Citrus sinensis DQ001728.1 ZeCYP90A11 Zinnia elegans BAE16977.1 PhCYP88C1 Petunia hybrida AAZ39647.1 AaCYP90A13 Artemisia annua ABC94481.1 AtCYP710A1 Arabidopsis thaliana AAC26690.1 SmCYP71A2 Solanum melongena X71654.1 GmCYP93E1 Glycine max AB231332 HlCYP71C25 Hordeum lechleri AY462228 NtCYP71D16 Nicotiana tabacum AF166332 MeCYP71E7 Manihot esculenta AY217351 TaCYP71F1 Triticum aestivum AB036772 AoCYP71J1 Asparagus officinalis AB052131 MaCYP71N1v2 Musa acuminata AY062167 TaCYP72A6v1 Triticum aestivum AF123604 ZmCYP72A16 Zea mays AF465265 LeCYP72A51 Solanum lycopersicum Solyc10g051020.1.1 GmCYP72A61 Glycine max DQ340241 MtCYP716A12 Medicago truncatula ABC59076.1 StCYP716A13 Solanum tuberosum PGSC0003DMP400013378 AaCYP716A14 Artemisia annua DQ363134 PsCYP716B2 Picea sitchensis AY779543 SlCYP718A6 Solanum lycopersicum Solyc07g055970.1.1 MtCYP718A8 Medicago truncatula XP_003617455.1 PsCYP719B1 Papaver somniferum EF451150 StCYP72A186 (GAME7) Solanum tuberosum PGSC0003DMG402012386 SlCYP72A186 (GAME7) Solanum lycopersicum Solyc07g062520 SlCYP72A188 (GAME6) Solanum lycopersicum Solyc07g043460 StCYP72A188 (GAME6) Solanum tuberosum PGSC0003DMG400011750 GuCYP72A154 Glycyrrhiza uralensis BAL45206.1 MtCYP72A59 Medicago truncatula ABC59078.1 NtCYP72A57 Nicotiana tabacum ABC69414.1 NtCYP72A54 Nicotiana tabacum ABC69417.1 CrCYP72A1 Catharanthus roseus gi461812 MtCYP72A63 Medicago truncatula gi371940452 NpCYP72A2 Nicotiana plumbaginifolia AAB05376.3 SlCYP734A7 Solanum lycopersicum Solyc03g120060.1.1 StCYP72A29 Solanum tuberosum BAB86912.1 StSYP72a56 Solanum tuberosum PGSC0003DMG400017325 StCYP72A208 (GAME8a) Solanum tuberosum PGSC0003DMG400026594 StCYP72A208 (GAME8b) Solanum tuberosum PGSC0003DMG400026586 SlCYP72A208 (GAME8a) Solanum lycopersicum TC243022 SlCYP72A208 (GAME8b) Solanum lycopersicum SGN-U578058 Metabolite Analysis

Preparation of plant tissue extracts and profiling of semi-polar compounds (including steroidal alkaloids and steroidal saponins) by UPLC-qTOF-MS and phytosterol content of the tomato leaves were carried out as described previously (Itkin et al., 2011, supra).

Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assays

RNA was isolated and Quantitative Real-Time PCR was performed as described previously (Itkin et al., 2011, supra). In addition, the TIP41 gene (23) was used as an endogenous control for the potato samples. Oligonucleotides are listed in Table 1 hereinabove.

Production of Recombinant Enzyme

GAME 2, GAME17 and GAME18 were amplified from cDNA and subcloned into pACYCDUET-1 using BamH I and Pst I (GAME2, GAME18) or BamHI and XhoI (GAME17) restriction sites, and the insert was verified by sequencing. The resulting plasmids, pAC-GAME2/17/18 were transformed to E. coli BL21 DE3. For expression of the GAME enzymes, fresh overnight cultures were diluted 1:100 in 25 ml 2×YT medium with 30 μg/ml chloramphenicol and incubated at 37° C. and 250 rpm until an A_(600 nm) of 0.4 was reached. Subsequently, IPTG was added to a concentration of 0.5 mM, and the incubation was continued overnight at 18° C. and 250 rpm. The next day, cells were harvested by centrifugation, and the pellet resuspended in 2 ml of 50 mM Tris HCl pH=7.0, 15% glycerol, 0.1 mM EDTA and 5 mM β-mercaptoethanol. After breaking the cells by sonication, insoluble material was removed by centrifugation, and the soluble fractions were used for characterization of the enzymes. Proteins were stored at −20° C. until further analysis.

Preparation of Substrates

For hydrolysis, 35 mg of α-tomatine was solved in 3 ml of 1 N HCl, and was incubated for 15 min. at 100° C. Subsequently, the solution was put on ice, and NH₃ was added until the pH of the solution was 9.0. The solution was extracted with 4 ml water-saturated butanol. The butanol phase was evaporated to dryness under vacuum, the residual pellet solved in 1 ml methanol and stored at −20° C. until further use. The degradation products of α-tomatine were separated on a Luna 5 μm C18(2) 100 Å. LC Column 150×21.2 mm (Phenomenex, USA), using an isocratic elution with 25% acetonitrile in water and 0.1% formic acid. Compounds were detected using a 3100 Mass Detector (Waters), and collected. Fractions were freeze-dried, and purity of compounds was verified by LC-MS. For identification of products, liquid chromatography, coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) was performed using a Waters Alliance 2795 HPLC connected to a Waters 2996 PDA detector and subsequently a QTOF Ultima V4.00.00 mass spectrometer (Waters, MS technologies, UK) operated in positive ionization mode. The column used was an analytical Luna 3 μm C18 (2) 100 Å; 150×2.0 mm (Phenomenex, USA) attached to a C18 pre-column (2.0×4 mm; AJO-4286; Phenomenex, USA). Degassed eluent A [ultra-pure water:formic acid (1000:1, v/v)] and eluent B [acetonitrile:formic acid (1000:1, v/v)] were used with flow rate of 0.19 ml/min. The gradient started at 5% B and increased linearly to 75% B in 45 min., after which the column was washed and equilibrated for 15 min. before the next injection. The injection volume was 5 μl. This procedure yielded several milligrams of pure γ-tomatine (tomatidine-galactoside-glucoside, T-Gal-Glu) and β1-tomatine (tomatidine-galactoside-diglucoside. T-Gal-Glu-Glu). Tomatidine galactoside (T-Gal) could not be purified in this way due to strong contamination with T-Gal-Glu. Therefore 5 mg tomatidine was incubated with GAME1 and UDP-galactose in 1 ml reaction mix, as described previously (Itkin et al., 2011, supra). T-Gal was purified from UDP-galactose by solid phase extraction. Waters OASIS HLB 3 cc columns (Waters Corp., Milford, Mass.) was conditioned with 6 ml. 100% methanol followed by rinsing with 4 mL ultra-pure water. The reaction, supplemented with 10% methanol, was loaded and the cartridge was subsequently washed with 4 mL ultra-pure water. Compounds were eluted with 1 mL 75% methanol in ultra-pure water (v:v), and 0.4 mL 100% methanol. The solvent was removed from the combined eluate using a speed vacuum concentrator until a totally dry-pellet was obtained.

Enzyme Assays

The substrates T-Gal, and γ-tomatine were dissolved to 1 mM in 50% DMSO. Enzyme assays were carried out in 50 mM Tris HCl pH=7.0 containing 5 mM β-mercaptoethanol using 5 μg/ml enzyme, 8 mM UDP-xylose and 0.02 mM substrate in a final reaction volume of 100 μl. After 2 h. of incubation under agitation at 37° C., reactions were stopped by addition of 300 μl methanol and 0.1% formic acid, and followed by brief vortexing and sonication for 15 min. Subsequently, the extracts were centrifuged for 5 min. at 13,000 rpm and filtered through 0.45 μm filters (Minisart SRP4, Biotech GmbH, Germany), and analyzed by LC-MS (see above). The amount of product was measured by the peak surface area in the LC-MS chromatogram, and compared to a control incubation in which an enzyme preparation of an E. coli harboring an empty pACYCDUET-1. Masses used for detection were α-tomatine (C50H83NO21; m/z=1034.55 ([M+H]+)), β1-tomatine (C45H75NO17; m/z=902.51 ([M+H])), β2-tomatine (C44H73NO16; m/z=872.50 ([M+H]+)), γ-tomatine T-Gal-Glu (C39H65NO12; m/z=740.46 ([M+H])), and T-Gal (C33H55NO7; m/z=578.41 ([M+H])).

Virus Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) Experiments

Vectors containing fragments of GAME genes were constructed and VIGS experiments were conducted as described previously (Orzaea D et al., 2009. Plant Physiol. 150:1122-1134; Li R et al., 2006 J. Mass Spec. 41:1-22). Plants infected with Agrobacterium, containing empty vector and helper vector pTRV1, were used as control. Oligonucleotides used to prepare the pTRV2_DR_GW vectors are listed in Table 1 hereinabove.

Genome Sequence Analysis of the Wild Tomato Species

Partial genomic data obtained by re-sequencing (Dr. Arnaud G. Bovy, unpublished data) of three tomato wild species genomes (i.e. Solanum pennellii, S. pimpinelkfolium and S. chmielewskii) were analyzed for the presence or absence of sequences (contigs) that align to the SGAs biosynthesis gene clusters on tomato chromosomes 7 and 12. The TopHat toolkit (Trapnell C. 2012. Nat. Protoc. 7:562-578) was used for mapping reads of the wild species to the tomato genome (ITAG 2.4), as a reference genome. The mapped reads were visualized with the IGV genome browser (Robinson J T et al., 2011. Nat. Biotechnol. 29:24-26). In order to assemble and align the sequence of the contigs from the three wild species to the gene clusters on to the existing cultivated tomato sequences of chromosomes 7 and 12, a combination of the CLC workbench, CAPS BWA and SAMtools software packages and an in-house Perl script were used.

Example 1 Genes Associated with SGA Biosynthesis

To discover genes associated with SGA biosynthesis, a co-expression analysis using transcriptome data from tomato and potato plants was performed. Coexpression with GAME1/SGT1 (chromosome 7) and GAME4 (chromosome 12) as “baits” in either potato or tomato are presented in a form of a heatmap in Tables 3-6 herein below. Genes that are highly co-expressed with either GAME1/SGT1 (chromosome 7) or GAME4 (chromosome 12) are depicted with a large font and hold.

TABLE 3 Accession numbers, putative protein and co- expression r-values - tomato, chromosome 7 r-value of correlation with tomato GAME1 Gene name Putative protein expression Solyc07g043310 Aminotransferase −0.26 Solyc07g043320 Unknown Protein 0.12 Solyc07g043330 GRAS family transcription factor 0.72 Solyc07g043340 Unknown Protein Solyc07g043350 Unknown Protein Solyc07g043360 60S ribosomal protein L27 0.10 Solyc07g043370 Transposase Solyc07g043380 Unknown Protein Solyc07g043390 Cellulose synthase family protein 0.92 (GAME15) Solyc07g043400 Unknown Protein Solyc07g043410 UDP-xylose xylosyltransferase (GAME2) Solyc07g043420 2-oxoglutarate-dependent 0.79 dioxygenase Solyc07g043430 Gag-Pol polyprotein Solyc07g043440 Glucosyltransferase-like protein Solyc07g043450 Zeatin O-glucosyltransferase Solyc07g043460 Cytochrome P450 (GAME 6) 0.91 Solyc07g043470 Unknown Protein Solyc07g043480 UDP-glucose glucosyltransferase 0.88 Solyc07g043490 UDP-glucosyltransferase family 1 1.00 protein (GAME1) Solyc07g043500 UDP-glucosyltransferase 0.95 Solyc07g043510 Cysteine-type peptidase −0.24 Solyc07g043520 transposase Solyc07g043530 Unknown Protein Solyc07g043540 Unknown Protein Solyc07g043550 UDP-arabinose 4-epimerase 0.70 Solyc07g043560 Heat shock protein 4 0.24 Solyc07g043570 Aldo/keto reductase family protein −0.09 Solyc07g043580 BHLH transcription factor 0.43 Solyc07g043590 Amine oxidase family protein 0.03 Solyc07g043600 Pentatricopeptide repeat-containing 0.43 protein Solyc07g043610 Auxin response factor 6 Solyc07g043620 Auxin response factor 6-1 0.65 Solyc07g043630 Acyl-CoA synthetase/AMP-acid ligase II Solyc07g043640 Acyl-CoA synthetase/AMP-acid ligase II Solyc07g043650 AMP-dependent synthetase and ligase Solyc07g043660 Acyl-CoA synthetase/AMP-acid −0.16 ligase II Solyc07g043670 Hydroxycinnamoyl CoA quinate transferase 2 Solyc07g043680 Enoyl-CoA-hydratase Solyc07g043690 Enoyl-CoA-hydratase Solyc07g043700 Acyltransferase

TABLE 4 Accession numbers, putative protein and co- expression r-values - potato, chromosome 7 r-value of correlation with potato SGT1 Gene name Putative protein expression PGSC0003DMG400011754 Gamma aminobutyrate −0.31 transaminase PGSC0003DMG400011753 Uro-adherence factor A −0.40 PGSC0003DMG400011742 DELLA protein RGA 0.15 PGSC0003DMG400011741 60S ribosomal protein L27 0.43 PGSC0003DMG400039612 Conserved gene of unknown function PGSC0003DMG400011752 Cellulose synthase 0.90 (GAME15) PGSC0003DMG400011740 beta-solanine rhamnosyl- 0.90 transferase (SGT3) PGSC0003DMG400011751 2-oxoglutarate-dependent 0.87 dioxygenase PGSC0003DMG400011750 Cytochrome P-450 0.92 (GAME 6) PGSC0003DMG400044993 Unknown Protein PGSC0003DMG400011749 solanidine galactosyl- 1.00 transferase (SGT1) PGSC0003DMG402015928 OTU-like cysteine protease −0.24 family protein PGSC0003DMG401015928 Conserved protein of −0.25 unknown function PGSC0003DMG400015927 UDP-arabinose 4-epimerase −0.21 1 PGSC0003DMG400015920 Heat shock 70 kDa protein −0.17 PGSC0003DMG402015926 Aldo/keto reductase −0.05 PGSC0003DMG401015926 Isoform 2 of Transcription −0.33 factor PIF5 PGSC0003DMG400015925 Amine oxidase 0.11 PGSC0003DMG400015924 Pentatricopeptide repeat- 0.32 containing protein PGSC0003DMG400015919 ARF8 0.07 PGSC0003DMG400036440 AMP dependent ligase PGSC0003DMG400015923 Acyl:coA ligase acetate- coA synthetase PGSC0003DMG400015922 Acyl:coA ligase acetate- coA synthetase PGSC0003DMG400044288 Acyltransferase PGSC0003DMG400015918 Acyltransferase 0.03

TABLE 5 Accession numbers, putative protein and co- expression r-values - tomato, chromosome 12 r-value of correlation with tomato GAME4 Gene name Putative protein expression Solyc12g006530 Cycloartenol synthase 0.08 Solyc12g006520 Cycloartenol synthase 0.05 Solyc12g006510 Cycloartenol Synthase −0.12 Solyc12g006500 Phosphate translocator protein 0.15 Solyc12g006490 Beta-l-3-galaclosyl-o-glycosyl- 0.03 glycoprotein Solyc12g006480 Nup205 protein 0.35 Solyc12g006470 gamma-aminobutyrate Amino- 0.94 transferase-1ike protein Solyc12g006460 Cytochrome P450 (GAME 4) 1.00 Solyc12g006450 gamma-aminobutyrate Amino- −0.13 transferase-like protein Solyc12g006440 Unknown Protein 0.25 Solyc12g006430 UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1- 1 82A1 Solyc12g006420 Topoisomerase II-associated 0.08 protein PAT1 Solyc12g006410 UDP-arabinse 4-epimerase Solyc12g006400 Unknown Protein Solyc12g006390 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase Solyc12g006380 2-oxoglutarate-dependent 0.15 dioxygenase Solyc12g006370 Amine oxidase family protein −0.16 Solyc12g006360 Multidrug resistance protein mdtK Solyc12g006350 Auxin response factor 6 0.35 Solyc12g006340 Auxin response factor 6 0.47 Solyc12g006330 Acyltransferase-like protein Solyc12g006320 ATP-dependent RNA helicase 0.14 Solyc12g006310 Endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi 0.25 Solyc12g006300 WD-repeat protein-like −0.03 Solyc12g006290 Reticulon family protein 0.19 Solyc12g006280 Myb-like DNA-binding protein

TABLE 6 Accession numbers, putative protein and co- expression r-values - potato, chromosome 12 r-value of correlation with potato GAME4 Gene name Putative protein expression PGSC0003DMG400020034 Beta-amyrin synthase −0.13 PGSC0003DMG400024276 Beta-Amyrin Synthase −0.09 PGSC0003DMG400024277 Gene of unknown function 0.10 PGSC0003DMG400024278 Phenylacetaldehyde 0.10 synthase PGSC0003DMG400024279 Conserved gene of −0.16 unknown function PGSC0003DMG400024280 Triose phosphate/phosphate −0.06 translocator, non-green plastid, chloroplast PGSC0003DMG400024271 Acetylglucosaminyl- −0.06 transferase PGSC0003DMG400024273 Resistance protein PSH- 0.37 RGH6 PGSC0003DMG400024281 Gamma aminobutyrate 0.94 transaminase isoform2 PGSC0003DMG400024274 Cytochrome P450 1.00 monooxygenase GAME4 PGSC0003DMG400024275 Gamma aminobutyrate 0.37 transaminase isoform3 PGSC0003DMG400024282 Fortune-1 0.36 PGSC0003DMG400028806 UDP-glycosyltransferase −0.18 82A1-like PGSC0003DMG401028807 Topoisomerase II- associated protein PAT1 PGSC0003DMG402028807 UDP-arabinse 4-epimerase PGSC0003DMG400028824 Gene of unknown function PGSC0003DMG400028808 2-oxoglutarate-dependent −0.07 dioxygenase PGSC0003DMG400028809 2-oxoglutarate-dependent 0.61 dioxygenase PGSC0003DMG400028810 Amine oxidase −0.04 PGSC0003DMG400028825 MATE transporter PGSC0003DMG400028826 Auxin response factor 6 PGSC0003DMG400043090 Integrase core domain containing protein PGSC0003DMG400037700 WRKY transcription factor 27 PGSC0003DMG400028811 Acyltransferase PGSC0003DMG400028812 DEAD-box ATP-dependent 0.56 RNA helicase 53 PGSC0003DMG400028814 WD-repeat protein −0.10 PGSC0003DMG401028829 Polygalacturonase PGSC0003DMG400028815 Rebellion family protein 0.08 PGSC0003DMG400028830 Myb-like DNA-binding domain, SHAQKYF class family protein

Sixteen genes from each species were co-expressed with GAME1/SGT1 (Table 7, FIG. 2). One of these genes, previously designated GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM 4 (GAME4), encodes a member of the 88D subfamily of cytochrome P450 proteins (FIG. 3). GAME4 and GAME1/SGT1 display a very similar expression profile in tomato and potato (WO 2010/095843). The GAME1/SGT1 and GAME4 genes in tomato and potato are positioned in chromosomes 7 and 12 such that they are physically next to several of their co-expressed genes (FIG. 2).

A cluster of GAME1/SGT1 co-expressed genes spans a ˜200 Kbp genomic region on chromosome seven. Together with GAME1, the tomato cluster is composed of 7 co-expressed genes. These include 3 UDP-glycosyltransferases [GAME2 (termed SGT3 in potato); GAME17 and GAME18], a cytochrome P450 of the 72A subfamily (GAME6), a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (GAME11), and a cellulose synthase-like protein (GAME15). It appears that in potato this cluster contains 5 co-expressed genes as it lacks homologs of the tomato genes encoding GAME17 and GAME18 UDP-glycosyltransferases. Enzyme activity assays were performed with the four recombinant clustered tomato UDP-glycosyltransferases. GAME17 and GAME18 exhibited UDP-glucosyltransferase activity when incubated with tomatidine galactoside (T-Gal) and γ-tomatine (T-Gal-Glu) as a substrate, respectively, whereas GAME2 was shown to have an UDP-xylosyltransferase activity when incubated with β1-tomatine (T-Gal-Glu-Glu) as a substrate (FIGS. 4E, 4F, and 4G). GAME1 was previously shown to act as a tomatidine UDP-galactosyltransferase in tomato (Itkin et al., 2011, supra). When incubating the 4 recombinant UGT enzymes in a single test tube, with tomatidine, and all glycoside donors (UDP-galactose, -glucose and -xylose), the accumulation of the final SGA product α-tomatine was observed (FIG. 4H).

Two genes encoding putative transcription factors were identified among the genes co-expressed with GAME1/SGT1 and GAME4 (FIGS. 4A-4H): one gene, designated GAME9, was identified by the tomato ID Solyc01g090340 and by the potato ID PGSC0003DMG400025989. It is described as ethylene-responsive element binding factor 13 and contains a putative AP2 domain. The other gene is the BHLH-transcription factor, identified by the tomato ID Solyc03g046570 and by the potato ID PGSC0003DMG400012262.

TABLE 7 Details of homologs co-expressed with known and putative steroidal alkaloid- associated genes in both potato and tomato presented in FIG. 2 Name Tomato ID Solyc Potato reads Tomato ID Extensin-like protein Solyc01g006400 PGSC0003DMG400023230 TCONS_00007692 GAME 9 Solyc01g090340 PGSC0003DMG400025989 TCONS_00011729 Delta (24)-sterol reductase-like Solyc02g069490 PGSC0003DMG400021142 TCONS_00044548 BHLH transcription factor Solyc03g046570 PGSC0003DMG400012262 TCONS_00055879 LRR receptor-like protein kinase Solyc05g009100 PGSC0003DMG400014576 TCONS_00101281 Glycosyltransferase Solyc05g053120 PGSC0003DMG402027210 TCONS_00100675 Cellulose synthase-like (GAME15) Solyc07g043390 PGSC0003DMG400011752 TCONS_00135034 GAME6 (CYP72) Solyc07g043460 PGSC0003DMG400011750 TCONS_00137734 GAME1 (Galactosyltransferase) Solyc07g043490 PGSC0003DMG400011749 TCONS_00133014 GAME7 (CYP72) Solyc07g062520 PGSC0003DMG402012386 TCONS_00132326 (GAME1 r-value 0.66; (SGT1 r-value 0.63; GAME4 r-value 0.71) GAME4 r-value 0.73 ) Srt/Thr protein kinase 6 Solyc08g066050 PGSC0003DMG400025461 TCONS_00151251 Meiotic serine proteinase Solyc08g077860 PGSC0003DMG401012339 TCONS_00149157 Sterol reductase Solyc09g009040 PGSC0003DMG400002720 TCONS_00162820 Ubiquitin protein ligase Solyc10g008410 PGSC0003DMG400021683 TCONS_00183263 Proteinase inhibitor II Solyc11g020960 PGSC0003DMG402003479 TCONS_00194999 GAME4 (CYP88) Solyc12g006460 PGSC0003DMG400024274 TCONS_00210154 Gamma-aminobutyrate Aminotransferase-like Solyc12g006470 PGSC0003DMG400024281 protein (transaminase) (GAME12) Beta-solanine rhamnosyltransferase (SGT3) #N/A PGSC0003DMG400011740 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (GAME11) Solyc07g043420 PGSC0003DMG400011751 GAME18 (Glycosyltransferase) Solyc07g043500 #N/A GAME17 (Glycosyltransferase) Solyc07g043480 #N/A Tomato and potato sequences were obtained from Sol Genomics Network (solgenomics.net). r-value for co-expression ≥ 0.8. TCON number, a contig reference name given by the inventors in the assembly of RNAsec data. N/A, not available.

Example 2 Functional Analysis of GAME9-Transcription Factor

GAME9-silencing (RNAi) and overexpressing (OX) constructs were created by introducing the corresponding GAME9 DNA fragments to pK7GWIWG2(II) and pJCV52 binary vectors, respectively. Transgenic tomato and potato lines transformed with the respective GAME9 silencing and overexpressing constructs were generated as previously described (Itkin et al., 2011, supra). Tissue extracts were prepared and analyzed as described in Itkin et al. (2011, supra).

The metabolic profiling of steroidal alkaloids using UPLC-TQ-MS was performed on extracts obtained from leaves and/or tubers of transgenic and wild type tomato and/or potato plants. In extract obtained from potato tuber peels of potato lines in which the gene encoding GAME9 was silenced (GAME9-RNAi lines) a reduction in α-solanine and α-chaconine was observed (FIGS. 5A and 5B, respectively). Leaves from potato GAME9-overexpression lines contained higher levels of α-solanine (FIG. 5C) and α-chaconine (FIG. 5D) compared to the wild type. A similar accumulation pattern was observed in potato leaves, having reduced amounts of α-chaconine and α-solanine in RNAi lines and increased amounts of these steroidal alkaloids in lines overexpressing the GAME9-transcription factor (FIG. 6).

In tomato, leaves extract of a line overexpressing the GAME9-transcription factor (designated 5879) contained higher levels of α-tomatine compared to its amount in leaf extract obtained from wild type plants. On the contrary, down regulation of the expression of GAME9-transcription factor (line 5871) resulted in significant reduction of α-tomatine content.

Example 3 Functional Characterization of the GAME Genes

GAME11 Silenced Plants

Virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a commonly used technique allowing systemic silencing of genes in various organs of the plant (Dinesh-Kumar S P et al., 2003. Methods Mol Diol 236:287-294).

Analysis of tomato leaves with VIGS-silenced GAME11, a putative dioxygenase in the cluster, revealed a significant reduction in α-tomatine levels and accumulation of several cholestanol-type steroidal saponins.

Silencing of GAME11 dioxygenase in tomato results in depletion of α-tomatine levels in leaves (m/z=1034.5) (FIG. 8A) while accumulating cholestanol-type steroidal saponins [i.e. STSs; m/z=1331.6, 1333.6, 1199.6, 1201.6 (major saponins)] (FIG. 88). FIG. 8C shows MS/MS spectrum of m/z=1331.6 (at 19.28 min.). FIG. 8D shows the fragmentation patterns of the saponin eluted at 19.28 min. and accumulating in GAME11-silenced leaves. The corresponding mass signals are marked with an asterisk on the MS/MS chromatogram in FIG. 8C. The elemental composition and fragmentation patterns show that the compounds are cholestanol-type saponins, lacking one hydroxy-group and the E-ring (in comparison to furostanol-type saponins), which results in fragmentation, involving multiple losses of water molecules instead of tautomerisation and McLafferty rearrangement of the E-ring.

GAME18 Silenced Plants

The role of GAME18 in creating the tetrasaccharide moiety of α-tomatine was supported by Virus induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) assays as GAME18-silenced fruit accumulated γ-tomatine which was not present in the control sample (FIGS. 9A-9E).

Among the metabolites extracted from GAME18-silenced mature green fruit, peaks of newly accumulating compounds were detected, corresponding to the γ-tomatine standard (m/z=740.5) (FIGS. 9A-C), and γ-tomatine pentoside (m/z=872.5) (FIGS. 9D-9E).

GAME12 Silenced Plants

Silencing of GAME12 transaminase in tomato resulted in accumulation of a furastanol-type steroidal saponin (FIG. 4D). FIG. 10A shows that GAME12-silenced leaves accumulate an STS (m/z=753.4), while it exists in only minor quantities in wild type leaf FIG. 10B. FIG. 10C shows MS/MS spectrum of m/z=753.4 at 19.71 min. with interpretation of the fragments. Suggested structure of the STS at 19.71 min. is depicted in FIG. 10D, concluded from the characteristic mass fragments observed in the MS/MS experiment.

Function of GAME7 and GAME8

Genes that were tightly co-expressed and positioned elsewhere in the genome were also functionally examined. Two genes, designated GAME7 and GAME8 belong to the CYP72 subfamily of cytochrome P450s. GAME7 was co-expressed in both species (potato and tomato) while StGAME8a and StGAME8b were strongly co-expressed with StSGT1 and StGAME4 in potato. At present, we could not demonstrate SGA-related activity for GAME7 although as for GAME6 it was suggested to be involved in SGA metabolism (US 20120159676). Yet, GAME8-silenced tomato leaves accumulated 22-(R)-hydroxycholesterol (FIGS. 11A-11D), a proposed intermediate in the SGA biosynthetic pathway (FIG. 1). GAME8-silenced line accumulates both isomers in comparison to wild type (FIG. 11D). The (R)-isomer is more abundant and hence most likely to be the substrate of GAME8.

FIG. 12 shows the phylogenetic tree of GAME genes in the plant CYP450 protein family. The numbers on the branches indicate the fraction of bootstrap iterations supporting each node.

Example 4 Proposed Biosynthetic Pathway in Solanaceous Plants

An expanded biosynthetic pathway in Solanaceous plants has been proposed, as depicted in the schematic of FIG. 13 (dashed arrows represent multiple enzymatic reactions in the pathway) with respect to the tomato. This pathway can be broken down into four parts for convenience. In Part I, a series of reactions (catalyzed, e.g., by SSR2, SMO3, SMO4) converts cylcloartenol to cholesterol. Byproducts include triterpenoids and phytosterols. In Part II, a series of reactions (catalyzed, e.g., by GAME11, GAME6, GAME4, GAME12, GAME25) converts cholesterol to tomatidine (aglycone). Byproducts include steroidal saponins (e.g., uttroside 13). In Part III, a series of reactions (catalyzed, e.g., by GAME1, GAME 17, GAME18, GAME2) converts tomatidine to steroidal glycoalkaloids (e.g., α-tomatine). In Part IV, a series of reactions converts steroidal glycoalkaloids (e.g., α-tomatine) of a green tomato to lycoperosides and/or esculeosides (e.g., esculeoside A) of a red tomato.

Example 5 Pathways Involving Steroidal Glycoalkaloid (SGA) Biosynthesis in Tomato, Potato, and Eggplant

A cellulose synthase-like gene (GAME15) in tomato, potato, and eggplant has been identified as being associated with steroidal glycoalkaloid (SGA) biosynthesis (FIGS. 14A-14C). This gene has been shown to have been strongly co-expressed with other SGA biosynthesis genes (e.g., GAME4, GAME12) and also with regulators of SGA biosynthesis (e.g., GAME9).

Sequences were identified as follows:

>cellulose synthase like_tomato [SEQ ID NO: 32] ATGAAAAAAACCATGGAGCTCAACAAAAGCACTGTTCCACAACCTATCACCAC CGTATACCGACTCCACATGTTCATCCACTCAATAATCATGCTTGCATTAATATACTAC CGTGTATCTAATTTGTTTAAATTCGAAAACATTCTCAGTTTACAAGCACTTGCTTGGG CGCTCATCACTTTTGGTGAATTTAGTTTCATTCTCAAGTGGTTCTTCGGACAAGGTAC TCGTTGGCGCCCCGTTGAACGAGATGTTTTCCCTGAAAACATTACTTGCAAAGATTC CGATCTACCGCCAATTGACGTAATGGTATTCACTGCCAATCCTAAGAAAGAGCCAAT TGTAGATGTCATGAACACTGTGATATCCGCAATGGCTCTTGATTATCCCACCGATAA ATTGGCTGTGTATCTCGCTGATGATGGAGGATGTCCATTGTCGTTGTACGCCATGGA ACAAGCGTGTTTGTTTGCAAAGCTATGGTTACCTTTCTGTAGAAACTATGGAATTAA AACGAGATGCCCAAAAGCATTTTTTTCTCCGTTAGGAGATGATGACCGTGTTCTTAA GAATGATGATTTTGCTGCTGAAATGAAAGAAATTAAATTGAAATATGAAGAGTTCC AGCAGAAGGTGGAACATGCTGGTGAATCTGGAAAAATCAATGGTAACGTAGTGCCT GATAGAGCTTCGCTTATTAAGGTAATAAACGAGAGGGAGAACGAAAAGAGTGTGGA TGATATGACGAAAATGCCCTTGCTAGTTTATGTATCCCGTGAAAGAAGATTCAACCG TCTTCATCATTTCAAGGGTGGATCTGCAAATGCTCTACTTCGAGTTTCTGGAATAATG AGTAATGCCCCCTATGTACTGGTGTTAGATTGTGATTTCTTCTGTCATGATCCAATAT CAGCTAGGAAGGCAATGTGTTTTCATCTTGATCCAAAGCTATCATCTGATTTAGCCT ATGTTCAGTTCCCTCAAGTCTTTTACAATGTCAGCAAGTCAGATATTTATGATGTCAA AATTAGACAGGCTTACAAGACAATATGGCATGGAATGGATGGTATCCAAGGCCCAG TGTTATCTGGGACTGGTTATTTTCTCAAGAGGAAAGCGTTATACACAAGTCCAGGAG TAAAAGAGGCGTATCTTAGTTCACCGGAAAAGCATTTTGGAAGGAGTAAAAGGTTT CTTGCTTCATTAGAGGAGAAAAATGGTTATGTTAAGGCAGATAAAGTCATATCAGA AGATATCATAGAGGAAGCTAAGATGTTAGCTACTTGTGCATATGAGGATGGCACAC ATTGGGGTCAAGAGATTGGTTATTCATACGATTGTCATTTGGAGAGCACTTTTACTG GTTATCTATTACACTGCAAAGGGTGGACATCTACTTATTTGTATCCAGACAGGCCAT CTTTCTTGGGTTGTGCCCCAGTTGATATGCAAGGTTTCTCATCACAGCTCATCAAATG GGTTGCTGCACTTACACAAGCTGGTTTATCACATCTCAATCCCATCACTTATGGTTTG AGTAGTAGGATGAGGACTCTCCAATGCATGTGCTATGCCTATTTGATGTATTTCACT CTTTATTCTTGGGGAATGGTTATGTATGCTAGTGTTCCTTCTATTGGCCTTTTGTTTGA CTTCCAAGTCTATCCTGAGGTACATGATCCGTGGTTTGCAGTGTATGTGATTGCTTTC ATATCGACAATTTTGGAGAATATGTCGGAGTCAATTCCAGAAGGGGGATCAGTTAA AACGTGGTGGATGGAATACAGGGCATTGATGATGATGGGAGTTAGCGCAATATGGT TAGGAGGATTGAAAGCTATATATGACAAGATAGTCGGAACACAAGGAGAGAAATTG TATTTGTCGGACAAGGCAATTGACAAGGAAAAGCTCAAGAAATACGAGAAGGGCA AATTTGATTTCCAAGGAATAGGGATACTTGCTCTGCCACTGATAGCATTTTCCGTGTT GAACCTCGTAGGCTTCATTGTTGGAGCTAATCATGTCTTTATTACTATGAACTACGC AGGCGTGCTGGGCCAACTCCTCGTATCATCGTTCTTCGTCTTTGTTGTCGTCACTGTT GTCATTGATGTTGTATCTTTCTTAAAGGTTTCTTAA >cellulose synthase like_tomato [SEQ ID NO: 33] MKKTMELNKSTVPQPITTVYRLHMFIHSIIMLALIYYRVSNLFKFENILSLQALAWA LITFGEFSFILKWFFGQGTRWRPVERDVFPENITCKDSDLPPIDVMVFTANPKKEPIVDVM NTVISAMALDYPTDKLAVYLADDGGCPLSLYAMEQACLFAKLWLPFCRNYGIKTRCPK AFFSPLGDDDRVLKNDDFAAEMKEIKLKYEEFQQKVEHAGESGKINGNVVPDRASLIKV INERENEKSVDDMTKMPLLVYVSRERRFNRLHHFKGGSANALLRVSGIMSNAPYVLVL DCDFFCHDPISARKAMCFHLDPKLSSDLAYVQFPQVFYNVSKSDIYDVKIRQAYKTIWH GMDGIQGPVLSGTGYFLKRKALYTSPGVKEAYLSSPEKHFGRSKRFLASLEEKNGYVKA DKVISEDIIEEAKMLATCAYEDGTHWGQEIGYSYDCHLESTFTGYLLHCKGWTSTYLYP DRPSFLGCAPVDMQGFSSQLIKWVAALTQAGLSHLNPITYGLSSRMRTLQCMCYAYLM YFTLYSWGMVMYASVPSIGLLFDFQVYPEVHDPWFAVYVIAFISTILENMSESIPEGGSV KTWWMEYRALMMMGVSAIWLGGLKAIYDKIVGTQGEKLYLSDKAIDKEKLKKYEKG KFDFQGIGILALPLIAFSVENLVGFIVGANHVFITMNYAGVLGQLLVSSFFVFVVVTVVID VVSFLKVS >cellulose synthase like_solanum pennellii [SEQ ID NO: 34] ATGAAAAAAACCATGGAGCTCAACAAAAGCACTGTTCCACAACCTATCACCAC CGTATACCGACTCCACATGTTCATCCACTCAATAATCATGCTTGCATTAATATACTAC CGTGTATCTAATTTGTTTAAATTCGAAAACATTCTCAGTTTACAAGCACTTGCTTGGC TACTCATCACTTTTGGTGAATTTAGTTTCATTCTCAAGTGGTTCTTCGGACAAGGAAC TCGTTGGCGCCCCGTTGAACGAGATGTTTTCCCTGAAAACATTACTTGCAAAGATTC CGATCTACCGCCAATTGACGTAATGGTGTTCACTGCCAATCCTAAGAAAGAGCCAAT TGTAGATGTCATGAACACTGTGATATCCGCAATGGCTCTTGATTATCCCACCGATAA ATTGGCTGTGTATCTGGCCGATGATGGAGGATGTCCATTGTCCTTGTACGCCATGGA ACAAGCATGTTTGTTTGCAAAGCTATGGTTACCTTTCTGTAGAAAGTATGGAATTAA AACGAGATGCCCAAAAGCATTTTTTTCTCCGTTAGGAGATGATGACCGTGTTCTTAA GAATGATGATTTTGCTGCTGAAATGAAAGAAATTAAATTGAAATATGAAGAGTTCC AGCAGAACGTGGAACATGCTGGTGAATCTGGAAAAATCAATGGCAACGTAGTGCCT GACAGAGCTTCGCTTATTAAGGTAATAAACGAGAGGGAGAACGAAAAGAGTGTCGA TGATTTAACGAAAATGCCCTTGCTAGTTTATGTATCCCGTGAAAGAAGATTCAACCG TCTTCATCATTTCAAGGGTGGATCTGCAAATGCTCTACTTCGAGTTTCTGGAATAATG AGTAATGCCCCCTATGTACTGGTGTTAGATTGTGATTTCTTCTGTCATGATCCGATAT CAGCTAGGAAAGCAATGTGTTTTCATCTTGATCCAAAGCTATCATCTGATTTAGCCT ATGTTCAGTTCCCTCAAGTCTTTTACAATGTCAGCAAGTCCGATATTTATGATGTCAA AATTAGACAGGCTTACAAGAGAATATGGCATGGAATGGATGGTATCCAAGGCCCAG TGTTATCTGGAACTGGTTATTTTCTCAAGAGGAAGGCGTTATACACAAGTCCAGGAG TAAAAGAGGCGTATCTTAGTTCACCGGAAAAGCATTTTGGAAGGAGTAAAAAGTTC CTTGCTTCATTAGAGGAGAAAAATGGTTATGTTAAGGCAGATAAAGTCATATCAGA AGATATCATAGAGGAAGCTAAGATCTTAGCTACTTGTGCATATGAGGATGGCACAC ATTGGGGTCAAGAGATTGGTTATTCATACGATTGTCATTTGGAGAGCACTTTTACTG GTTATCTATTACACTGCAAAGGGTGGACATCTACTTATTTGTATCCAGACAGGCCAT CTTTCTTGGGTTGTGCCCCAGTTGATATGCAAGGTTTCTCATCACAGCTCATAAAATG GGTTGCTGCACTTACACAAGCTGGTCTATCACATCTCAATCCCATCACTTATGGTTTG AGTAGTAGGATGAGAACTCTCCAATGCATGTGCTATGCCTATTTGATGTATTTCACT CTTTATTCTTGGGGAATGGTTATGTATGCTAGTGTTCCTTCTATTGGCCTTTTGTTTGG CTTCCAAGTCTACCCTGAGGTACATGATCCATGGTTTGCAGTGTATGTGATTGCTTTC ATATCGACAATTTTGGAGAATATGTCGGAGTCAATTCCAGAAGGGGGATCAGITAA AACGTGGTGGATGGAATACAGGGCATTGATGATGATGGGAGTTAGCGCAATATGGT TAGGAGGATTGAAAGCTATATATGACAAGATAGTCGGAACACAAGGAGAGAAATTG TATTTGTCGGACAAGGCAATTGACAAGGAAAAGCTCAAGAAATACGAGAAGGGCA AATTTGATTTCCAAGGAATAGGGATACTTGCTCTGCCATTGATAGCATTTTCCGTGTT GAACCTCGTAGGCTTCATTGTTGGAGCTAATCATGTCTTTATTACTATGAACTACGC AGGCGTGCTGGGCCAACTCCTCGTATCATCATTCTTCGTCTTTGTTGTCGTCACTGTT GTCATTGATGTTGTATCTTTCTTAAAGGTTTCTTAA >cellulose synthase like_solanum pennellii [SEQ ID NO: 35] MKKTMELNKSTVPQPITVYRLHMFLHSIIMLALIYYRVSNLFKFENILSLQALAWL LITFGEFSFILKWFFGQGTRVVRPVERDVFPENITCKDSDLPPIDVMVFTANPKKEPIVDVM NTVISAMALDYPTDKLAVYLADDGGCPLSLYAMEQACLFAKLWLPFCRKYGIKTRCPK AFFSPLGDDDRVLKNDDFAAEMKEIKLKYEEFQQNVEHAGESGKINGNVVPDRASLIKV INERENEKSVDDLTKMPLLVYVSRERRFNRLHHFKGGSANALLRVSGIMSNAPYVLVLD CDFFCHDPISARKAMCFHLDPKLSSDLAYVQFPQVFYNVSKSDIYDVKIRQAYKTIWHG MDGIQGPVLSGTGYFLKRKALYTSPGVKEAYLSSPEKHFGRSKKFLASLEEKNGYVKAD KVISEDIIEEAKILATCAYEDGTHWGQEIGYSYDCHLESTFTGYLLHCKGWTSTYLYPDR PSFLGCAPVDMQGFSSQLIKWVAALTQAGLSHLNPITYGLSSRVIRTLQCMCYAYLMYF TLYSWGMVMYASVPSIGLLFGFQVYPEVHDPWFAVYVIAFISTILENMSESIPEGGSVKT WWMEYRALMMMGVSAIWLGGLKAIYDKIVGTQGEKLYLSDKAIDKEKLKKYEKGKF DFQGIGILALPLIAFSVLNLVGFIVGANHVFITMNYAGVLGQLLVSSFFVFVVVTVVIDVV SFLKVS >cellulose synthase like_potato [SEQ ID NO: 36] ATGAAAAAAACCATGGAGCTCAACAAAAGCACTGTTCCACAACCTATCACCAC CATATACCGACTCCACATGTTTATCCACTCTATAATCATGGTTGCATTAATATACTAC CGTGTATCTAATTTGTTTAAATTCGAAAACATTCTGAGTTTACAAGCACTTGCTTGGG TACTCATCACTTTTGGTGAATTTAGTTTCATTCTCAAGTGGTTCTTCGGACAAGGAAC TCGTTATCGCCCTGTTGAAAGAGATGTTTTCCCTGAAAACATAACTTGCAAAGATTC CGATCTACCACCAATTGACGTAATGGTATTCACTGCCAATCCTAAGAAAGAGCCAAT TGTGGATGTCATGAACACTGTGATATCCGCAATGGCTCTTGATTATCCTACGGATAA ATTGGCTGTGTATCTGGCTGATGATGGAGGATGTCCTTTGTCATTGTACGCCATGGA AGAAGCATGTGTGTTTGCAAAGCTGTGGCTACCTTTCTGTAGGAAGTATGGAATTAA AACTAGATGCCCTAAAGCGTTTTTTTCTCCTTTAGGAGATGATGAACGTGTTCTTAA GAATGATGATTTTGATGCTGAAATGAAAGAAATTAAATTGAAATATGAAGAGTTCC AGCAGAATGTGGAACGTGCTGGTGAATCTGGAAAAATCAATGGTAACGTAGTGCCT GATAGAGCCTCGTTTATTAAGGTAATAAACGACAGAAAAGCGGAGAGCGAAAAGA GTGCCGATGATTTAACGAAAATGCCCTTGCTAGTTTATGTATCCCGTGAAAGAAGAT TCAACCGTCTTCATCACTTCAAGGGTGGATCTGCAAATGCTCTTCTTCGAGTTTCTGG AATAATGAGTAATGCCCCCTATATACTGGTGTTAGATTGTGATTTCTTCTGTCATGAT CCAATATCAGCTAGGAAGGCAATGTGTTTTCATCTTGATCCAAAGCTATCATCTGAT TTAGCTTATGTTCAGTTCCCTCAAGTCTTTTACAATGTCAGCAAGTCCGATATTTATG ATGTCAAAATTAGACAGGCTTACAAGACAATATGGCATGGAATGGATGGTATCCAA GGCCCAGTGTTATCAGGAACTGGTTATTTTCTGAAGAGGAAGGCGTTATACACGAGT CCAGGAGTAAAGGAGGAGTATCTTAGTTCACCGGAAAAGCATTTTGGAAGGAGTAA AAAGTTCCTTGCTTCACTAGAGGAGAAAAATGGTTATGTTAAGGCAGAGAAAGTCA TATCAGAAGATATCGTAGAGGAAGCTAAGACCTTAGCTACTTGTGCATATGAGGAT GGCACACATTGGGGTCAAGAGATTGGTTATTCATACGATTGTCATTTGGAGAGCACT TTTACTGGTTATCTATTACACTGCAAAGGGTGGAGATCGACTTATTTGTATCCAGAC AGGCCATCTTTCTTGGGTTGTGCCCCAGTTGATATGCAAGGTTTCTCCTCACAGCTCA TAAAATGGGTTGCTGCACTTACACAAGCTGGTTTATCACATCTCAATCCCATCACTT ATGGCTTTAGTAGCAGGATGAAAACTCTCCAATGCATGTGCTATGCCTATTTGATAT ATTTCACTCTTTATTCTTGGGGAATGGTTCTATATGCTAGTGTTCCTTCTATTGGCCTT TTGTTTGGCTTCCAAGTCTATCCCGATGTACATGATCCATGGTTTGCAGTGTATGTGA TTGCTTTCATATCGGCAATTTTGGAGAATATGTCGGAGTCAATTCCTGATGGGGGAT CATTTAAATCTTGGTGGATGGAATACAGGGCACTGATGATGATGGGAGTTAGTGCA ATATGGTTAGGAGGATTGAAAGCTATATTAGACAGGATAATCGGAACAGAAGGAGA GAAATTGTATTTATCGGACAAGGCAATTGACAAGGAAAAGCTCAAGAAATACGAGA AGGGGAAATTTGATTTCCAAGGAATAGGGATACTTGCTGTACCATTGATAGCATTTT CCTTGTTGAACCTCGTAGGCTTCATTGTTGGAGCTAATCATGTCTTTATTACTATGAA CTACGCAGGTGTGCTTGGCCAACTCCTCGTATCATCCTTCTTCGTCTTTGTCGTGGTC ACTGTTGTCATTGATGTCGTTTCTTTCTTAAAGGTTTCTTAA >cellulose synthase like_potato [SEQ ID NO: 37] MELNKSTVPQPITTIYRLHMFIHSIIMVALIYYRVSNLFKFENILSLQALAWVLITFG EFSFILKWFFGQGTRYRPVERDVFPENITCKDSDLPPIDVMVFTANPKKEPIVDVMNTVIS AMALDYPTDKLAVYLADDGGCPLSLYAMEEACVFAKLWLPFCRKYGIKTRCPKAFFSP LGDDERVLKNDDFDAEMKEIKLKYEEFQQNVERAGESGKINGNVVPDRASFIKVINDRK AESEKSADDLTKMPLLVYVSRERRFNRLHHFKGGSANALLRVSGIMSNAPYILVLDCDF FCHDPISARKAMCFHLDPKLSSDLAYVQFPQVFYNVSKSDIYDVKIRQAYKTIWHGMDG IQGPVLSGTGYFLKRKALYTSPGVKEEYLSSPEKHFGRSKKFLASLEEKNGYVKAEKVIS EDIVEEAKTLATCAYEDGTHWGQEIGYSYDCHLESTFTGYLLHCKGWRSTYLYPDRPSF LGCAPVDMQGFSSQLIKWVAALTQAGLSHLNPITYGFSSRMKTLQCMCYAYLIYFTLYS WGMVLYASVPSIGLLFGFQVYPDVHDPWFAVYVIAFISAILENMSESIPDGGSFKSWWM EYRALMMMGVSAIWLGGLKAILDRIIGTEGEKLYLSDKAIDKEKLKKYEKGKFDFQGIG ILAVPLIAFSLLNLVGFIVGANHVFITMNYAGVLGQLLVSSFFVFVVVTVVIDVVSFLKVS >cellulose synthase like_solanum chacoense [SEQ ID NO: 38] ATGAAAAAAACCATGGAGCTCAACAAAAGCACTGTTCCACAACCTATCACCAC CATATACCGACTCCACATGTTCGTCCATTCTATAATCATGGCTGCATTAATATACTAC CGTGTATCTAATTTGTTTAAATTCGAAAACATTCTGAGTTTACAAGCACTTGCTTGGG TACTCATCACTTTTGGTGAATTTAGTTTCATTCTCAAGTGGTTCTTCGGACAAGGAAC TCGTTGGCGCCCTGTTGAAAGAGATGTTTTCCCTGAAAACATAACTTGCAAAGATTC CGATCTACCACCAATTGACGTAATGGTATTCACTGCCAATCCTAAGAAAGAGCCAAT TGTGGATGTCATGAACACTGTGATATCCGCAATGGCTCTAGATTATCCTACGGATAA ATTGGCTGTGTATCTGGCTGATGATGGAGGATGTCCTTTGTCATTGTACGCCATGGA AGAAGCATGTGTGTTTGCAAAGCTGTGGCTACCTTTCTGTAGGAAGTATGGAATTAA AACCAGATGCCCTAAAGCGTTTTTTTCTCCTTTAGGAGATGATGACCGTGTTCTTAA GAATGATGATTTTGATGCTGAAATGAAAGAAATTAAATTGAAATATGAAGAGTTCC AGCAGAATGTGGAACGTGCTGGTGAATCTGGAAAAATCAATGGTAACGTAGTGCCT GATAGAGCCTCGTTTATTAAGGTAATAAACGACAGAAAAACGGAGAGCGAAAAGA GTGCCGATGATTTAACGAAAATGCCCTTGCTAGTTTATGTATCCCGTGAAAGAAGAT TCAACCGTCTTCATCACTTCAAGGGTGGATCTGCAAATGCTCTTCTTCGAGTTTCTGG AATAATGAGTAATGCCCCCTATATACTGGTGTTAGATTGTGATTTCTTCTGTCATGAT CCAATATCAGCTAGGAAGGCAATGTGTTTTCATCTTGATCCAAAGCTATCATCTGAT TTAGCTTATGTTCAGTTCCCTCAAGTCTTTTACAATGTCAGCAAGTCCGATATTTATG ATGTCAAAATTAGACAGGCTTACAAGACAATATGGCATGGAATGGATGGTATCCAA GGCCCAGTGTTATCAGGAACTGGTTATTTTCTGAAGAGGAAGGCGTTATACACGAGT CCAGGAGTAAAGGAGGAGTATCTTAGTTCACCGGAAAAGCATTTTGGAAGGAGTAA AAAGTTCCTTGCTTCACTAGAGGAGAAAAATGGTTATGTTAAGGCAGAGAAAGTCA TATCAGAAGATATCGTAGAGGAAGCTAAGACCTTAGCTACTTGTGCATATGAGGAT GGTACACATTGGGGTCAAGAGATCGGTTATTCATACGATTGTCATTTGGAGAGCACT TTTACTGGTTATCTATTACACTGCAAAGGGTGGACATCGACTTATTTGTATCCAGAC AGGCCATCTTTCTTGGGTTGTGCTCCAGTTGATATGCAAGGTTTCTCCTCACAGCTCA TAAAATGGGTTGCTGCACTTACACAAGCTGGTTTATCACATCTCAATCCCATCACTT ATGGCTTGAGTAGCAGGATGAAAACTCTCCAATGCATGTGCTATGCCTATTTGATAT ATTTCACTCTTTATTCTTGGGGAATGGTTCTATATGCTAGTATTCCTTCTATTGGTCTT TTGTTTGGCTTCCAAGTCTATCCGGAGGTACATGATCCATGGTTTGCAGTGTATGTG ATTGCTTTCATATCGACAATTTTGGAGAATATGTCGGAGTCAATTCCAGAAGGGGGA TCATTTAAATCGTGGTGGATGGAATACAGGGCACTGATGATGATGGGAGTTAGTGC AATATGGTTAGGAGGATTGAAAGCTATATTAGACAAGATAATCGGAACAGAAGGAG AGAAATTGTATTTGTCAGACAAGGCAATTGACAAGGAAAAGCTCAAGAAATACGAG AAGGGGAAATTTGATTTCCAAGGAATAGGGATACTTGCTGTACCATTGATAGCATTT TCCCTGTTGAACCTGGTAGGCTTCATTGTTGGAGCTAATCATGTCTTTATTACTATGA ACTACGCAGGTGTGCTTGGCCAACTCCTCGTATCATCCTTCTTCGTCTTTGTCGTGGT CACTGTTGTCATTGATGTCGTTTCTTTCTTAAAGGTTTCTTAA >cellulose synthase like_solanum chacoense [SEQ ID NO: 39] MKKTMELNKSTVPQPITTIYRLHVIFVHSIIMAALIYYRVSNLFKFENILSLQALAW VLITFGEFSFILKWFFGQGTRWRPVERDVFPENITCKDSDLPPIDVMVFTANPKKEPIVDV MNTVISAMALDYPTDKLAVYLADDGGCPLSLYAMEEACVFAKLWLPFCRKYGIKTRCP KAFFSPLGDDDRVLKNDDFDAEMKEIKLKYEEFQQNVERAGESGKINGNVVPDRASFIK VINDRKTESEKSADDLTKMPLLVYVSRERRFNRLHHFKGGSANALLRVSGIMSNAPYIL VLDCDFFCHDPISARKAMCFHLDPKLSSDLAYVQFPQVFYNVSKSDIYDVKIRQAYKTI WHGMDGIQGPVLSGTGYFLKRKALYTSPGVKEEYLSSPEKHFGRSKKFLASLEEKNGY VKAEKVISEDIVEEAKTLATCAYEDGTHWGQEIGYSYDCHLESTFTGYLLHCKGWTSTY LYPDRPSFLGCAPVDMQGFSSQLIKWVAALTQAGLSHLNPITYGLSSRMKTLQCMCYA YLIYFTLYSWGMVLYASIPSIGLLFGFQVYPEVHDPWFAVYVIAFISTILENMSESIPEGGS FKSWWMEYRALMMMGVSAIWLGGLKAILDKIIGTEGEKLYLSDKAIDKEKLKKYEKG KFDFQGIGILAVPLIAFSLLNLVGFIVGANHVFITMNYAGVLGQLLVSSFFVFVVVTVVID VVSFLKVS >cellulose synthase like_eggplant [SEQ ID NO: 40] ATGAAAAAACAAATGGAGCTCAACAGAAGTGTTGTACCGCAACCTATCACCAC CATTTACCGTCTCCACATGTTTATCCATGCCCTAATCATGCTAGCACTAATATACTAC CGTGTCTCTAATTTGGCCAAATTCGAAAACATCCTCAGTTTACAAGCACTTGCTTGG GCTCTTATCACGTTAGGTGAACTTTGTTTCATAGTCAAGTGGTTCTTCGGACAAGGG ACTCGTTGGCGTCCTGTTGATAGGGATGTCTTCCCTGAAAACATCACTTGTCCAGAT TCCGAGCTACCCCCCATTGATGTCATGGTTTTCACTGCAAATCCTAAGAAAGAGCCA ATTGTGGATGTCATGAACACTGTCATATCCGCAATGGCTCTTGATTACCCGACCGAC AAATTGGCCGTTTATTTGTCTGATGATGGAGGATGCCCCTTGACGTTGTACGCAATG GAGGAAGCTTGTTCCTTTGCCAAGTTGTGGCTACCTTTTTGTAGGAAGTATGGAATC AAAACAAGGTGCCCTAAGGCGTTTTTTTCTCCATTAGGAGAAGATGACCGTGTATTG AAGAGTGATGACTTTGTTTCTGAAATGAAAGAAATGAAGTCAAAATATGAAGAGTT CCAGCAGAACGTGGACCGTGCTGGTGAATCCGGAAAAATCAAAGGTGACGTAGTGC CTGATAGACCCGCGTTTCTTAAGGTACTAAATGACAGGAAGACGGAGAACGAGAAG AGTGCAGACGATTTAACTAAAATGCCTTTGCTAGTATACGTATCCCGTGAAAGAAGA ACTCACCGTCGCCATCACTTCAAGGGTGGATCTGCAAATGCTCTTCTTCGAGTTTCTG GGATAATCAGTAATGCCCCCTATATACTGGTTTTAGATTGTGATTTCTTCTGTCATGA TCCAATATCAGCTCGGAAGGCAATGTGTTTCCATCTTGATCCAAAACTATCACCTGA CTTAGCTTACGTGCAGTTCCCTCAAGTGTTTTACAATGTTAGCAAGTCCGATATTTAC GACGTCAAAATTAGACAGGCTTACAAGACAATATGGCACGGGATGGATGGTATCCA AGGCCCAGTGTTATCGGGAACTGGTTATTTTTTAAAAAAGAAGGCGTTGTACACGAG TCCAGGTCTAAAAGATGAGTATCTTAGTTCACCGGAAAAGCATTTCGGAACGAGTA GAAAGTTCATTGCTTCACTAGAGGAGAATAATTATGTTAAGCAAGAGAAAGTCATA TCAGAAGATATCATAGAGGAAGCTAAGAGACTGGCTACTTGTGCATACGAGGATGG CACACATTGGGGTCAAGAGGCAAACAGGCCATCTTTCTTGGGTTGTGCCCCAGTTGA TATGCAAGGTTTCTCCTCACAGCTCATAAAATGGGTTGCTGCACTCACACAAGCAGG TCTATCACATCTCAATCCCATCACTTACGGCTTCAAGAGCAGAATGAGAACTCTCCA AGTCTTGTGTTATGCCTATTTGATGTATTTCTCTCTTTATTCTTGGGGAATGGTTCTAC ATGCTAGTGTTCCTTCTATTGGCCTTCTCTCTGGCATTAAAATCTACCCGGAGGTGTA TGATCCATGGTTTGTTGTGTATGTGATTGCTTTCATATCAACAATTTTGGAGAATATG TCGGAATCAATTCCGGAAGGGGGATCGGTTAAAACGTGGTGGATGGAATACAGGGC ACTGATGATGATGGGAGTTAGTGCAATATGGCTAGGAGGAGTGAAAGCCATAGTAG ACAAGATCATCGGAACGCAAGGAGAGAAATTGTATTTGTCGGACAAAGCAATTGAC AAGGAAAAGCTCAAGAAATACGAGAAGGGGAAATTTGATTTCCAAGGAATAGGAA TACTTGCTGTACCATTGATAACATTTTCTGTGTTGAACCTGGTAGGCTTCTTGGTTGG AATTAATCAAGTGTTGATAACGATGAAGTTCGCAGGCGTGCTGGGCCAACTCCTCGT ATCATCCTTCTTCGTCTTTGTCGTCGTTACTGTTGTCATTGATGTCGTATCTTTCTTAA AGGATTCTTAA >cellulose synthase like_eggplant [SEQ ID NO: 41] MKKQMELNRSVVPQPITTIYRLHMFIHALIMLALIYYRVSNLAKFENILSLQALAW ALITLGELCFIVKWFFGQGTRWRPVDRDVFPENITCPDSELPPIDVMVFTANPKKEPIVDV MNTVISAVIALDYPTDKLAVYLSDDGGCPLTLYAMEEACSFAKLYVLPFCRKYGIKTRCP KAFFSPLGEDDRVLKSDDFVSEMKEMKSKYEEFQQNVDRAGESGKIKGDVVPDRPAFL KVLNDRKTENEKSADDLTKMPLLVYVSRERRTHRRHHFKGGSANALLRVSGIISNAPYI LVLDCDFFCHDPISARKAMCFHLDPKLSPDLAYVQFPQVFYNVSKSDIYDVKIRQAYKTI WHGMDGIQGPVLSGTGYFLKKKALYTSPGLKDEYLSSPEKHFGTSRKFIASLEENNYVK QEKVISEDIIEEAKRLATCAYEDGTHWGQEANRPSFLGCAPVDMQGFSSQLIKWVAALT QAGLSHLNPITYGFKSRMRTLQVLCYAYLMYFSLYSWGMVLHASVPSIGLLSGIKIYPE VYDPWFVVYVIAFISTILENMSESIPEGGSVKTWWVIEYRALMMMGVSAIWLGGVKAIV DKIIGTQGEKLYLSDKAIDKEKLKKYEKGKFDFQGIGILAVPLITFSVLNLVGFLVGINQV LITMKFAGVLGQLLVSSFFVFVVVTVVIDVVSFLKDS >cellulose synthase like_capsicum annum [SEQ ID NO: 42] ATGGAGCTCAACAGATGTACGGTGCAGCAACCTACCACTGCCATATACCGACT ACACATGTTTCTCCACTCTCTAATCATGCTTGCATTAGTATACTATCGTTTGTCTAAT CTGTTTTACTTCGAAAACGTCCTCACTTTACAAGCATTTGCATGGGGGCTTATCACCT TAGGTGAAATTTGTTTCATTGTCAAGTGGTTCTTTGGTCAAGGGACTCGTTGGCGCC CCGTTGTCAGGGAAGTGTTCCTGGACAATATTACTTGCCAAGATTCCGAGCTGCCCG CACTAGATGTGATGGTTTTCACTGCCAATCCCAAGAAAGAGCCAATTGTGGATGTCA TGAACACTGTGATATCCGCAATGGCTCTTGATTACCCGACGGATAAATTGGCTGTGT ATCTGGCTGATGATGGAGGATGCCCCTTGACGTTGTACGCCATGGAGGAGGCCTGTT CTTTTGCCAAGTTGTGGCTACCTTTCTGTAGGAAGTATGGAATCAAAACAAGGTGCC CCAAAGCGTTTTTTTCTCCATTAGGAGAAGATGATCGTATCCTTAAGAACGATGACT TTGTAGCTGAAATGAAAGAAATTAAATTAAAATATGAGGAGTTCCAGCAGAATGTA AACCTTGCTGGTGAATCCGGAAAAATCAAAGGTGACGTAGTGCCTGATAGAGCCTC GTTTATTAAGGTAATAAATGACAGGAAAATGGAGAACAAGAAGAGTGCCGACGATA TAACGAAAATGCCTTTGCTAGTATACGTATCCCGTGAAAGAAGATTTAACAGTCGTC ATCACTTCAAGGGTGGATCTGCAAATGCTCTTCTTCGAGTTTCAGGGATAATGAGTA ATGCCCCCTATTTACTGGTCTTAGATTGTGATTTCTTCTGTCATGATCCAACATCAGC TCGGAAGGCAATGTGTTTCCATCTTGATCCAAAACTATCACCTTCCTTAGCTTATGTG CAGTTCCCTCAAGTGTTTTACAATGTCAGCAAGTCCGATATATACGATGTCAAAATT AGACAGGCTTACAAGACAATATGGCACGGAATGGATGGTATCCAAGGCCCAGTGTT ATCGGGAACTGGGTATTTTCTGAAGAGGAAAGCGTTATACACGAGTCCAGGTCTAA AGGATGAGTATCTTATTTCACCGGAAAAGCATTTCGGATCAAGTAGAAAGTTCATTG CTTCTCTAGAGGAGAACAATGGTTATGTrAAGCAAGAGAAACTCATAACAGAAGAT ATTATAGAGGAAGCGAAGACCTTGTCTACTTGTGCATACGAGGATGGTACACGATG GGGCGAAGAGATCGGTTATACCTACAATTGCCATTTGGAGAGCACTTTTACCGGCTA TCTTTTGCACTGCAAAGGGTGGACATCAACATATTTGTATCCAGAAAGGCCATCTTT CTTGGGTTGTGCCCCAGTTGATATGCAAGGATTCTCCTCACAACTCACAAAATGGGT TGCTGCACTCACACAAGCTGGTCTATCACATCTCAATCCCATCACTTACGGCATGAA GAGCAGGATTAAGACTATCCAATGCTTGTGCTATGCCTATTTGATGTATTTCTCTCTC TATTCTTGGGGAATGGTTCTGCATGCTAGTGTTCCTTCTATTAGCCTTTTGCTTGGCA TTCAAGTCTACCCCGAGGTCTATGATCCATGGTTTGCAGTGTATGTGCTTGCTTTCAT ATCGACAATTTTGGAGAACATGTCAGAGTCAATTCCAGAAGGCGGTTCAGTTAAAA CTTGGTGGATGGAATACAGGGCACTGATGATGATGGGAGTTAGTGCAATATGGTTA GGAGGAGTGAAAGCTATAGTAGAAAAGATCATCGGAACTCAAGGAGAGAAATTAT ATTTGTCGGACAAAGCAATTGACAAGGAAAAGCTCAAGAAATATGAGAAGGGGAA ATTTGATTTCCAAGGGATAGGGATACTTGCTGTTCCATTGATAACATTCTCAGCGTT GAATTTGGTAGGCTTCATGGTTGGAGCTAATCAAGTGATTCTTACTATGAAGTTCGA AGCTTTGCTAGGCCAACTCCTTGTGTCATCCTTCTTCGTCTTTGTGGTGGTCACCGTT GTCATAGATGTCCTATCTTTCTTAAAAGACTCTTAA >cellulose synthase like_capsicum annuum [SEQ ID NO: 43] MELNRCTVQQPTTAIYRLHMFLHSLIMLALVYYRLSNLFYFENVLTLQAFAWGLIT LGEICFIVKWFFGQGTRWRPVVREVFLDNITCQDSELPALDVMWTANPKKEPIVDVMN TVISAMALDYPTDKLAVYLADDGGCPLTLYAMEEACSFAKLWLPFCRKYGIKTRCPKA FFSPLGEDDRILKNDDFVAEMKEIKLKYEEFQQNANLAGESGKIKGDVVPDRASFIKYIN DRKMENKKSADDITKMPLLVYVSRERRFNSRHHFKGGSANALLRVSGIMSNAPYLLVL DCDFFCHDPTSARKAMCFHLDPKLSPSLAYVQFPQVFYNVSKSDIYDVKIRQAYKTIWH GMDGIQGPVLSGTGYFLKRKALYTSPGLKDEYLISPEKHFGSSRKFIASLEENNGYVKQE KLITEDIIEEAKTLSTCAYEDGTRWGEEIGYTYNCHLESTFTGYLLHCKGWTSTYLYPER PSFLGCAPVDMQGFSSQLTKWVAALTQAGLSHLNPITYGMKSRIKTIQCLCYAYLMYFS LYSWGMVLHASVPSISLLLGIQVYPEVYDPWFAVYVLAFISTILENMSESIPEGGSVKTW VVMEYRALMVIMGVSAIWLGGVKAIVEKIIGTQGEKLYLSDKAIDKEKLKKYEKGKFDF QGIGILAVPLITFSALNLVGFMVGANQVILTMKFEALLGQLLVSSFFVFVVVTVVIDVLSF LKDS

The following sequences were generated for silencing GAME15 in their respective plants:

Region used for GAME15 silencing in Tomato [SEQ ID NO: 44] GGCTCTTGATTATCCCACCGATAAATTGGCTGTGTATCTCGCTGATGATG GAGGATGTCCATTGTCGTTGTACGCCATGGAACAAGCGTGTTTGTTTGCA AAGCTATGGTTACCTTTCTGTAGAAACTATGGAATTAAAACGAGATGCCC AAAAGCATTTTTTTCTCCGTTAGGAGATGATGACCGTGTTCTTAAGAATG ATGATTTTGCTGCTGAAATGAAAGAAATTAAATTGAAATATGAAGAGTTC CAGCAGAAGGTGGAACATGC  Region used for GAME15 silencing in Potato [SEQ ID NO: 45] GGCTCTTGATTATCCTACGGATAAATTGGCTGTGTATCTGGCTGATGATG GAGGATGTCCTTTGTCATTGTACGCCATGGAAGAAGCATGTGTGTTTGCA AAGCTGTGGCTACCTTTCTGTAGGAAGTATGGAATTAAAACTAGATGCCC TAAAGCGTTTTTTTCTCCTTTAGGAGATGATGAACGTGTTCTTAAGAATG ATGATTTTGATGCTGAAATGAAAGAAATTAAATTGAAATATGAAGAGTTC CAGCAGAATGTGGAACGTGCTGGTG Region used for GAME15 silencing in Eggplant [SEQ ID NO: 46] GGCTCTTGATTACCCGACCGACAAATTGGCCGTTTATTTGTCTGATGATG GAGGATGCCCCTTGACGTTGTACGCAATGGAGGAAGCTTGTTCCTTTGCC AAGTTGTGGCTACCTTTTTGTAGGAAGTATGGAATCAAAACAAGGTGCCC TAAGGCGTTTTTTTCTCCATTAGGAGAAGATGACCGTGTATTGAAGAGTG ATGACTTTGTTTCTGAAATGAAAGAAATGAAGTCAAAATATGAAGAGTTC CAGCAGAACGTGGACCGTGCTGGTGAATCCGGAAAAATCAAAGGTGACGT AGTGCCTGATAGACCCGCGTTTCTTAAGGTACTAAATGACAGGAAGACGG AGAACGAGAAGAGTGCAGACGATTTAACTAAAATGCCTTTGCTAGTATAC GTATCCCGTGAAAGAAGAACTCACCGTCGCCATCACTTCAAGGGTGG 

RNAi lines for the GAME15 gene in tomato and potato were generated. GAME15-RNAi transgenic tomato plants showed severe reduction in α-tomatine and downstream SGAs in leaves; α-tomatine was not detected in GAME15-silenced green fruit. Furthermore, no esculeosides or other SGAs were detected during tomato fruit developmental stages (e.g., breaker and red fruit). In addition, a 15-20 fold increase in cholesterol, which is a precursor for SGAs was observed in leaves and green fruit of GAME15-RNAi tomato plants. In potato, silencing of GAME15 resulted in a major reduction in α-chaconine and α-solanine, while the cholesterol pool in these lines increased.

Example 6 Generation of GAME15-RNAi Transgenic Tomato Potato and Eggplant Plants

The GAME15-RNAi construct was generated by introducing a selected fragment (silencing sequences SEQ ID NO: 44 (tomato), SEQ ID NO: 45 (potato), and SEQ ID NO: 46 (eggplant)) to pENTR/D-TOPO (invitrogen) (by NotI and AscI) and further subcloning of this fragment to the pK7GWIWG2 (II) binary vector using the Gateway LR Clonase II enzyme mix (invitrogen). The vector was transformed into tomato, potato and eggplant as described previously (Itkin et al. 2011. The Plant Cell 23:4507-25; Sonawane et al. 2018. PNAS 115(23): E5418-E5428). Positive GAME25-downregulated lines were further used for LC-MS analysis.

Example 7 GAME15-Silenced Tomato Plants Showed Severely Reduced SGA Profile

In order to determine the precise role of GAME15 in SGA metabolism, GAME15-RNAi (GAME15i) transgenic tomato lines (#21, #22 and #23) were generated using the tomato silencing sequence above (SEQ ID NO: 44).

GAME15-RNAi leaves showed severe reduction in α-tomatine, compared with wild-type tomato leaves (FIG. 15A). Furthermore, the SGAs profile of GAME15i fruit was subsequently compared to wild-type ones at different stages of development and ripening. During the transition from green to red fruit in tomato, α-tomatine is converted to esculeosides and lycoperosides, while dehydrotomatine is converted to dehydroesculeosides and dehydrolycoperosides (FIG. 14A).

GAME15i green and red fruits did not show any trace of SGAs (e.g., α-tomatine or Esculeoside A) suggesting complete loss of SGAs in tomato fruits due to GAME15i silencing (FIGS. 15B and 15C).

Example 8 Altering GAME15 Expression has Major Impact on SGAs in Potato

Similar to tomato, GAME15i was also silenced in potato (#1, #2, and #3) to determine its effect on potato SGAs metabolism, using the potato silencing sequence above (SEQ ID NO: 45).

Silencing of GAME15 in potato resulted in drastic reduction in α-chaconine (shaded bars) and α-solanine (open bars), major SGAs in potato leaf tissue (FIG. 16), in comparison with potato leaf tissue of the wild-type.

Example 9 High Cholesterol Accumulation in GAME15-Silenced Tomato Leaves

Cholesterol serves as a key precursor in the biosynthesis of SGAs (Sonawane et al., 2016, Nat. Plants 3: 16205). As severe reduction and subsequent complete loss of SGAs was observed in GAME15i-silenced tomato plants, the cholesterol levels in these plants were examined. An ˜15-20-fold increase in cholesterol (SGA precursor) was observed in leaves of GAME15i-silenced tomato plants compared to the leaves of wild-type tomato plants (FIG. 17).

Example 10 Altering GAME15 Expression and Observing its Impact on SGAs in Eggplant

Similar to potato, GAME15i is also silenced in eggplant to determine its effect on potato SGAs metabolism, using the eggplant silencing sequence above (SEQ ID NO: 46).

The effect of silencing of GAME15 in eggplant is observed with respect to reduced levels of α-solasonine and/or α-solamargine in comparison with wild-type eggplant (FIG. 14C).

Example 11 Overexpression of GAME15 in Tomato, Potato, and Eggplant

Alternatively, tomato, potato, and/or eggplant plants are genetically modified or gene edited to overexpress GAME15.

To increase production of α-tomatine and esculeosides and/or lycoperosides in tomato plants (FIG. 14A), tomato plants are genetically modified or gene edited to overexpress GAME15.

To increase production of α-solanine and/or α-chaconine in potato plants (FIG. 14B), potato plants are genetically modified or gene edited to overexpress GAME15.

To increase production of α-solasonine and/or α-solamargine in eggplant (FIG. 14C), eggplant plants are genetically modified, or gene edited to overexpress GAME15.

Example 12 Plants and Crops with Modified Levels and Compositions of SGAs

Based on the foregoing, Solanaceous plants (e.g., tomato, potato, eggplant, and/or pepper plants) and/or crops are prepared, such as through classical breeding or genetic engineering (e.g., genetically modified or transgenic plants, gene edited plants, and the like), with modified levels and compositions of SGAs, conferring on the plant a chemical barrier against a broad range of insects and other pathogens and/or removing anti-nutritional compounds (e.g., chaconine and/or solanine from potato).

Furthermore, high cholesterol or high phytosterol tomato lines are used to engineer high value steroidal compounds (e.g., pro-vitamin and/or diosgenin), such as through synthetic biology tools.

In addition, high phytosterol (e.g., phytocholesterol) lines are used to produce components used in cosmetic products.

In other instances, Solanaceous plants (e.g., tomato, potato, eggplant, and/or pepper plants) and/or crops are prepared with increased levels of SGAs and/or decreased levels of phytosterols.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without undue experimentation and without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. The means, materials, and steps for carrying out various disclosed functions may take a variety of alternative forms without departing from the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A genetically modified Solanaceae plant comprising at least one cell having altered expression of a gene encoding a cellulose synthase like protein, wherein the genetically modified plant has an altered content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof, or at least one steroidal saponin or a glycosylated derivative thereof, as compared to a corresponding unmodified plant, wherein said cellulose synthase like protein of the corresponding unmodified plant is encoded by a polynucleotide having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:32.
 2. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 1, wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper.
 3. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 2, wherein the plant is: (a) a tomato plant having a reduced content of α-tomatine, tomatidine, or derivatives thereof, or has an elevated content of a phytosterol, a phytocholesterol or cholesterol, a phytocholestenol or cholestenol, a steroidal saponin, or derivative thereof; (b) a potato plant having a reduced content of α-chaconine, α-solanine, or derivatives thereof; or (c) an eggplant plant having a reduced content of α-solasonine, α-solamargine, or derivatives thereof.
 4. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 1, wherein said altered gene expression is obtained by a method comprising introduction of one or more point mutations into said gene, or genome editing, or use of a bacterial CRISPR/CAS system, or a combination thereof.
 5. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 1, wherein the plant comprises a polynucleotide encoding said cellulose synthase like protein, said polynucleotide has been selectively edited by deletion, insertion, or modification to silence, repress, or reduce expression thereof.
 6. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 1, wherein the plant comprising at least one cell comprising at least one silencing molecule targeted to a polynucleotide encoding said cellulose synthase like protein, wherein expression of said polynucleotide is selectively silenced, repressed, or reduced.
 7. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 6, wherein said silencing molecule is targeted to a GAME15 gene.
 8. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 6, wherein: (a) the silencing molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence complementary to nucleotides 375-644 of SEQ ID NO: 32; or (b) the silencing molecule is a RNA interference molecule or an antisense molecule, or the silencing molecule is a component of a viral induced gene silencing system.
 9. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 1, wherein expression of the gene encoding the cellulose synthase like protein is reduced compared to its expression in the corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the genetically modified plant comprises a reduced content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof, or at least one steroidal saponin or a glycosylated derivative thereof, as compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.
 10. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 9, wherein the plant has a reduced content of at least one steroidal glycoalkaloid selected from the group consisting of α-tomatine, tomatidine, α-chaconine, α-solanine, α-solasonine, α-solmargine, and derivatives thereof, as compared to a corresponding unmodified plant.
 11. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 9, wherein the plant further comprises an elevated content of a phytosterol or a derivative thereof, a cholesterol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholesterol or a derivative thereof, a cholestenol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholestanol or a derivative thereof, or a steroidal saponin or a derivative thereof, as compared to a corresponding unmodified plant.
 12. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 1, wherein expression of the gene encoding the cellulose synthase like protein is elevated compared to its expression in the corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the genetically modified plant comprises an elevated content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof, or at least one steroidal saponin or a glycosylated derivative thereof, as compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.
 13. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 12, wherein the plant has an elevated content of at least one steroidal glycoalkaloid selected from the group consisting of α-tomatine, tomatidine, α-chaconine, α-solanine, α-solasonine, α-solmargine, and derivatives thereof, as compared to a corresponding unmodified plant.
 14. The genetically modified Solanaceae plant of claim 12, wherein the plant further comprises an reduced content of a phytosterol or a derivative thereof, a cholesterol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholesterol or a derivative thereof, a cholestenol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholestanol or a derivative thereof, or a steroidal saponin or a derivative thereof, as compared to a corresponding unmodified plant.
 15. A method of generating a modified Solanaceae plant, wherein the modified plant has a reduced content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof, or at least one steroidal saponin or a glycosylated derivative thereof, the method comprising (a) transforming at least one Solanaceae plant cell with at least one silencing molecule targeted to a nucleic acid sequence having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:32 that encodes a cellulose synthase like protein; or (b) mutagenizing said nucleic acid sequence having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:32, wherein the mutagenesis comprises introduction of one or more point mutations into said nucleic acid sequence, or genome editing, or use of a bacterial CRISPR/CAS system, or a combination thereof, wherein expression of said cellulose synthase like protein is reduced in the modified plant compared to its expression in a corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the modified plant comprises reduced content of at least one steroidal alkaloid or a glycosylated derivative thereof, or at least one steroidal saponin or a glycosylated derivative thereof, as compared to the corresponding unmodified plant.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the modified Solanaceae plant has a reduced content of at least one steroidal glycoalkaloid selected from the group consisting of α-tomatine, tomatidine, α-chaconine, α-solanine, α-solasonine, α-solmargine, and derivatives thereof.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the modified Solanaceae plant further comprises an elevated content of a phytosterol or a derivative thereof, a cholesterol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholesterol or a derivative thereof, a cholestenol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholestanol or a derivative thereof, or a steroidal saponin or a derivative thereof.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the modified plant is (a) a tomato plant comprising a reduced content of α-tomatine, tomatidine, or derivatives thereof or an elevated content of a phytosterol, a phytocholesterol or cholesterol, a phytocholestenol or cholestenol, a steroidal saponin, or derivative thereof; (b) a potato plant comprising a reduced content of α-chaconine, α-solanine, or derivatives thereof; or (c) an eggplant plant comprising a reduced content of α-solasonine, α-solamargine, or derivatives thereof.
 20. A method of producing at least one phytosterol in a modified Solanaceae plant, the method comprising (a) transforming at least one Solanaceae plant cell with at least one silencing molecule targeted to a nucleic acid sequence having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:32 that encodes a cellulose synthase like protein; or (b) mutagenizing said nucleic acid sequence having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:32, wherein the mutagenesis comprises introduction of one or more point mutations into said nucleic acid sequence, or genome editing, or use of a bacterial CRISPR/CAS system, or a combination thereof, wherein expression of said cellulose synthase like protein is reduced in the modified plant compared to its expression in a corresponding unmodified plant, thereby the modified plant comprises an elevated content of a phytosterol or a derivative thereof, a cholesterol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholesterol or a derivative thereof, a cholestenol or a derivative thereof, a phytocholestanol or a derivative thereof, or a steroidal saponin or a derivative thereof, as compared to a corresponding unmodified plant.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper.
 22. The method of claim 20, further comprising purifying the phytosterol extracted from the modified plant.
 23. The method of claim 20, wherein the phytosterol comprises phytocholesterol. 